Silent Angel
by grainsofsand
Summary: A demon finds an angel trapped at his lair. What will he do to her? What will she do to him?
1. Chapter 1

Silent Angel

Author note: This story is rated M. please be ready for graphic violence, gore, language etc. that is associated with M stories. I like constructive critisism, but if you're going to flame, well, I'll just ignore you and possibly post your review for everyone to see if it's incredibly stupid. Otherwise, I will thank my reviewers at the beginning of the next chapter. I will not list everyone or even spend any great length of time on it, because I think you guys would like a longer chapter instead. Ok? Good.

Chapter One

It was all the Hyuuga's fault, really. If they had just left Gaara alone or even apologized to him, Konoha wouldn't be in this mess. The fourth kazekage had been held up in a meeting, so he had sent one of his servants down to let the clan members know. It wasn't as if he was snubbing them, because it was their hokage that he was meeting with, to discuss a new treaty. Nothing major, just wanted to get it done and over with. Things were much simpler when the third was involved, but he had retired, naming Tsunade the fifth. Gaara had taken his position from his father by force, challenging him to a match with his title on the line. Gaara had won with ease, killing his father in the process. It didn't really surprise anyone.

It did surprise the elders, though, when he decided to "clean the house" meaning that he had titles redistributed, salaries slashed, and the laws rewritten, putting him in charge of the council as well, and effectively stopping any resistance. There was some protesting, but that was dealt with over time. There were a few assassination attempts as well. The elders responsible were executed. When the feudal lord tried to interfere, he was also executed, charged with the betrayal of the desert nation in the land of wind. Gaara was now in complete control of the entire nation, mostly due to his popularity with the citizens and, after a fixed budget, most of the shinobi of the sand. Affordable healthcare, food, water and shelter would do that. So did a new and improved education system and the creation of new jobs.

The third hokage, to avoid causing tensions between the two nations, drew up a new treaty that was pretty much like the one they had before the ( now deceased ) feudal lord had screwed everything up. It was a wise move, and Gaara had accepted the proposal. While working out the minor details and kinks, they had actually begun to enjoy each others company. But the third was getting on in years, and had finally decided to step down, passing the title on to Tsunade. He had come with Tsunade to help smooth out the meeting between the two, and to socialize with Gaara. They had taken several Hyuugas as an escort, including Hiashi. Bringing us back to what started the war.

The messenger was a young, pregnant woman. She was very polite, and was one of Gaara's most reliable servants, and Gaara was somewhat fond of her. He had forbidden her from cleaning and any strenuous chores to keep the baby healthy. So she helped file paperwork and delivered messages. At six months pregnant, she was excited and happy, despite the hormones, aching joints and back, and morning sickness. Gaara found her cravings rather amusing, and often chuckled when she ate. He had watched in stunned awe, though, when she ate an entire plate of garlic shrimp with chocolate syrup and whipped cream with a smile on her face. About fifteen minutes later, she threw up, but that was beside the point.

When she delivered her message, the Hyuugas were in the guest lounge. The furniture was different in Suna; in fact, most of it was up high off the ground or floor to help avoid accidental contact with any poisonous creature that may have wandered in. As it was, Hiashi was currently sitting in a high backed wooden chair at the head of a large table, as were most of the other guests. She didn't like him; he gave her a bad vibe.

"Lord Hiashi sama, Lord Gaara sama has asked me to inform you that he and Lady Tsunade Sama will be late to join you. He said that it will take another half hour to finish, but no more than that. He has already called down to the kitchens, the staff will be bringing up appetizers and drinks for you momentarily," said Asa.

"Hmph, how hard is it to work out a treaty? Not hard at all, your leader is lacking in skill and intelligence if he can't work out-"

"Don't speak about Lord Gaara sama that way! You have no right- AHHH!"

Hiashi struck her. Since he was sitting down, the chakra enhanced blow landed on her abdomen. Asa collapsed on the floor. Another serving girl screamed.

"Don't you dare speak to your betters that way, you whore!"

"Asa chan! Asa chan, are you ok? Can you move?"

"My baby, it hurts, it's too soon …" with that, Asa passed out. Eviko gasped, and looked around frantically.

"Chiko chan, come help me carry her! Kameko chan, go get Lord Kazekage Sama!"

At Gaara's Office

"So, we can both agree that both of our economies can benefit from trade, all that's left is how we will arrange security for the transports."

"Yes, Tsunade sama, I suggest a joint effort, where one team of shinobi will hand off responsibility to the other. Perhaps on one of our borders? Or maybe halfway? Whichever way is-"Gaara was interrupted by a loud knocking.

"Kameko san, you'd better have a good reason for disrupting this meeting!" Gaara snarled.

"It's Asa chan! Lord Hiashi sama hit her when she delivered your –"

"WHAT?! Get in here and tell me everything! What happened? "

Kameko entered and sank to the floor, preparing to bow, but Gaara waved her up.

"When she told him that you were going to be a little late, he insulted you, and when Asa chan started to defend you he hit her! He hit her in the stomach, and he used chakra! Eviko chan and Chiko chan took her to the hospital, but her baby…" At that she burst into tears, and Gaara left for the hospital.

"Sarutobi sensei, how did he know it was that girl?"

"Gaara san always knows Tsunade chan."

At the infirmary

All hospitals were the same, really. A maze of hallways, noisy intercoms with emotionless voices saying this and that. Restless families and hurried nurses and doctors, their secretaries desperately trying to keep up with the paperwork and a cafeteria serving crappy food. Top it all off with blinding white walls and that horrid medicinal stench that seemed to cling to you long after you've gone from the place. Needless to say, Gaara hated hospitals. If it hadn't been Asa, he would never have come. She, Eviko and Chiko were the only ones he even remotely liked in his workplace, or any other for that matter. He still hated it, though, and one way or another he would have that Hyuuga's head for this.

The main reason why he favored those four was because they weren't ambitious, level headed girls who weren't obsessed with him in any way. They liked him, in a platonic sort of way, and were honest with him. They didn't try to seduce him or assassinate him or any of the other various things that most of the females in Suna tried to do. They simply came in, did their work, and left. So hard to find good help these days… and Hiashi had put one of them in the hospital. Oh yes, he was going t pay…

Asa was an attractive girl, swollen belly and all. She was tan, medium length brown hair always in a braid, and big brown eyes. She was a small girl, about five foot four. She was unflinchingly loyal, and tended to have a temper with anyone who dared insult Gaara, whom she thought of as a big brother. Her husband was a chunin at the Suna Academy.

Eviko was more like Temari in build and appearance, but was much more formal in her behavior. Always mindful of her manners, the girl did have an uncanny ability to know absolutely everything that went on in the office. When ever a disciplinary issue in the office came up, he called on Eviko to get the story straight before deciding on anything.

Chiko was a tall girl, with long black hair kept up in a bun. She had hazel eyes and a very good figure. She used to be a stripper before coming to work as his servant. (the pay was much better, and so was the crowd.) her street smarts had gotten the girls out of more than a few jams.

Kameko had shoulder length hair that was white (for now, last week it was purple with blond streaks.) her eyes were golden. (she has colored lenses, yesterday they were red, and tomorrow they could be green or pink or whatever.) playful and mischievous, never wearing matching or ordinary clothing. She had seven piercings in each ear, and would use just about anything as an earring. Make up was weird too. She was very free spirited and whimsical. The office had long gotten used to her, for the most part. Today she was wearing pink boots with silver laces, a neon green shirt with a big purple butterfly on it, orange jeans with read flowers on the legs, and blue eye shadow with yellow lipstick. Earrings included silver and gold studs, a few paper clips, and a safety pin with a feather skewered sideways on one ear. The other ear had a safety pin with a rubber band. Gaara had stopped questioning her fashion sense long ago.

His loyal quartet kept things interesting, at least. They were really the only ones that he could rely on daily. No one was ever permitted to lay a hand on them, and Gaara was pissed.

As they sat in the waiting room, not sure what to do, or even if Asa was ok, the girls related the story to Gaara.

"He acted as if a half hour was the end of the world! I mean, come on, we were gonna feed them, and the others didn't even seem to mind," Kameko exclaimed.

"In my experience, men like that tend to have tiny pricks and that's why they can't-"

"Chiko chan! You can't say things like that in public! What if the children hear? Lord Gaara sama's reputation could suffer! Really, you need to think these things through-"

"Eviko, you know I'm right, and the kids are too busy whining to hear me. Hiashi the Dickless is the whole reason that we're here. I-"

"Hee hee hee! Hiashi the Dickless! Hee hee hee!"

"Kameko chan, don't encourage her, Chiko chan, stop, before we get kicked out."

"Enough, all of you. I need to think about how I'm going to respond to this."

"Under Suna law, attacking a pregnant woman in such a manner is punishable by death. I don't know about Konoha's laws."

"I know, Eviko, but I don't know how the new hokage will handle this. Sarutobi san was never this dependant on the Hyuuga, but Tsunade san is, and I don't like it. I have never trusted the Hyuuga and this means-"

A nurse walked up. "Lord Kazekage sama, we have to speak about Asa san. Where is her husband?"

"He usually teaches at the academy, but he is currently on a mission."

"She has no other family?"

"We are as close as it gets to being her family," Kameko said.

"I see. Well, her condition has been stabilized, but she went into labor, and her son is currently in an incubator. We don't think he will make it through the night. As a result of the blow, she has chakra burns on her abdomen, and her internal organs have suffered massive damage. Tomorrow, we will have to remove her ovaries, uterus, and one of her kidneys. We think the other should recover, but it's too soon to tell. She will need therapy in order to regain the use of her muscles in her entire lower body."

"Can we see her?" asked Eviko. The nurse shook her head.

"Not tonight, she needs her rest. Maybe tomorrow."

"Keep us updated on their condition."

"Yes, Lord Kazekage sama"

Over the next few months, Gaara insisted, repeatedly, that Hiashi be punished for his actions. Tsunade refused, against the advice of her former teacher. Conflicts between Suna and the Hyuuga escalated, and when a sand genin was killed by a Hyuuga, Gaara banned all Hyuuga clan members from Suna. Tsunade demanded that Gaara remove the ban, but he refused until the clan members responsible for the trouble were suitably punished for their crimes. Leaf shinobi, led by Hyuuga clan members began to attack trade caravans traveling to and from Suna. The final straw was when they had the audacity to try and assassinate Gaara. The three Hyuuga's were interrogated and executed by Gaara, who had their heads piked outside of the Kazekage Tower. He then declared war on the land of fire. Hiashi should have backed down when he had the chance.


	2. Chapter 2

Sachap2

Chapter Two

To tell you the truth, she had never even heard of a Gaara until now. She didn't eve really know what a Gaara was. All she knew was that Father hated it. It, why it? She was sometimes called an it, but she didn't really think this Gaara-thing was anything like her. For one thing, it lived in the desert, whereas she lived in Konoha. You had to be strong to live in a desert, right? There was another thing that bothered her. In all her life she had never known Father to be scared of anything. She couldn't even remember if he had ever been nervous. Yet this Gaara-thing had him terrified, and it was so very far away, in a place called Suna. So why was he so scared? What was this Gaara-thing anyway?

A few days later she found out. The Gaara-thing was a demon, a very powerful demon. Father had done something to offend the demon, and as a result, the demon called Gaara was calling for his head. He was refusing to give in. Eventually Father had sent some of his best men to slay the demon Gaara, but they failed, and apparently the demon had piked their heads. Now she was stuck wondering what a pike was. Father had been exceptionally angry that night, and her body showed the results. Not that it mattered; she was always in pain anyway. It was her fault, he had said, but it was always her fault. She deserved it, they said, for being a useless weakling that wasn't even pretty enough to marry off to someone. She was a horrid, selfish brat that was lucky to be alive, because things like her were usually killed on sight.

There was one thing she was good at, and that was escaping. Trouble was, her body wasn't strong enough to take her far, and she had no where to go even if she could. She still tried, though. Often. At least twice a weak. She knew she was a horrible girl for causing such trouble, but she couldn't resist. The thought of freedom was to strong.

The demon's warriors had overrun the leaf village, and the Hyuuga's had snuck out, dragging her along as bait. Many leaf shinobi had managed to escape, but with their home base destroyed, it was only a matter of time before they gave up. Their only chance at winning was to kill the demon, but after the battle at their former home, he had returned to the desert. Now they were going to the desert, to make a false offering of peace, and she was the offering. Demons liked virgins, you see, so she could finally be of some use. So here she was, drugged, bound, tossed in the back of a cart and covered in rags, trying to figure out two things. First: what was a pike? And second: what was a virgin and why was it important?

Outskirts of Suna

Oh, she was so sneaky! She had stolen the antidote to the drugs! She had long decided that she didn't want to go to this demon, and was even now planning her latest escape attempt. She had heard the others talking about how the Gaara- demon drank the blood of his enemies and of how he ripped out their hearts and ate them. She had listened as they spoke of how he raped virgin girls before he skinned them alive, then tying them to a table to dissect them, throwing various chunks of flesh to his demonic offspring.

She wasn't sure what rape was, but the rest sounded horrible so it must be evil too. She knew it was selfish to not help her family, but she wanted to be free for once in her life. She also wanted to remain in one piece. So when night fell, she slipped out of her ropes and took off. One of the clan members spotted her and ran after her. The chase was on, and she ran through the streets of Suna, darting through back alleys and loosing her pursuer at a very large tower. As she rounded a corner she found skulls on long sticks with sharp metal tips. So that was what a pike was…

"Hey, you! Halt! Halt, I say!"

Now she had five guards chasing after her. So she streaked away, diving in a very tiny open window to emerge in a pile of dirty rags in an unlit room. She had accomplished and incredible feat. She was one of the very few who had breached security to get inside the Kazekage tower.

"How the hell did she do that?" one of the guards exclaimed.

"Never mind, we gotta get her or Lord Gaara Sama will have our heads"

So much for hoping that they would give up. She got up and took off, getting lost in a maze of hallways. Hearing screams coming from a room, she carefully entered. The first thing she saw was a very tall being. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Pale skin, dressed in black, with thick crimson hair, this being was far too lovely to be human. Stunned for a moment, she didn't immediately notice what was on the table in front of him. His back was too her, and he was so absorbed in his work that she may have slipped out if the person on the table hadn't turned his head and had seen her. It was the original pursuer.

"You bitch! This is all your fault! How dare you! When I get out of this, I'll kill you, you worthless bitch!"

This seemed to attract the being's attention, seeing as he turned toward her. It had just dawned on her that she had just walked into a torture chamber; she could see and smell the blood from the table.

"Well, well well, looks like I have two Hyuugas running amok in my country." His voice was dark, rich, and seemed to have a dry quality t it. This was the Gaara-demon, she realized. Panic overtook her and she bolted from the room.

"How interesting," Gaara mused to his prisoner. The table was flooded with blood, and he had already disemboweled his prey, winding the intestines on a spool studded with spikes.

"Guards, find the girl, and bring her to me." He said to the ones that had somehow managed to stay on her tail. He ignored the captive's pathetic sobs, phoning Kisame.

"Yeah, what's up Gaara nii?"

"Not much, wanna have some fun?"

"Sure, what ya got in mind?"

"Find the other Hyuugas and bring them in to be interrogated. I've got one, and the other's running around somewhere, so there has to be more."

"What the hell are they up to?!"

"Some half-assed assassination attempt, probably."

"Well, their probably runnin' scared by now, but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, I'll have the girls keep your dinner warm."

"Eviko chan's mad at me."

"What did you do now?"

"I told her that she had a nice ass and should take strip lessons from Chiko chan. She's mad at me too."

"You dumb ass."

"Yeah, see you later.

Gaara had captured the akatasuki. The ones who surrendered were given curse marks by Gaara so that they had no choice but to obey him, but they had actually made out pretty good on the deal. The others were executed. He had four: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori. He suspected that Eviko and Kisame had a thing, but it had yet to be brought out in the open

At Gaara's mansion

She was still being chased by the guards, so she some how managed to climb up the side of the house. She scampered along the rounded roof, hoping to find a way down to the other side.

"Ha ha! I got you now, you little runt!" she turned around to see a scary shark man chasing after her. She dove for a chimney, but he caught her arm, wrenching it painfully. So she whipped around and chomped his hand. He dropped her with a particularly loud curse. She landed hard in the bottom. Fortunately for her it wasn't lit, or even hot, but she was now covered in soot.

"I'll get you, you- fuck!" she looked up. Shark man had gotten himself stuck head first in the chimney. As she bolted out into the room she heard strange voices.

"Hey, look guys; he's stuck with his ass in the air!"

"Let's smack his ass, un!"

"Kisame, you're an idiot."

"Shut up, Itachi. Deidara, you leave my ass alone!"

She bolted up a set of stairs (Black marble with a matching banister.) leaving a trail of soot behind her. She eventually found herself in a very large, dark room. Hearing the noises of people behind her, she bolted for the balcony, only to find herself trapped. There were guards below, but she couldn't remain up here, because of the ones behind her. But there was a pipe looking thing to her right, so maybe…

A hand grabbed her and spun her around, and she caught sight of a purple and tan face leering at her. She promptly bit his hand too, then used the pipes to crawl down part way. Feeling herself beginning to slip, she wedged herself between the pipe and the wall.

"How did she do that? The walls and the pipes are all designed to repel chakra!"

"Well, Kankuro, she's not using chakra."

"Itachi, that's, like, friggin' impossible, these walls are polished, the only one who can climb them like that is Gaara, she's not supposed to do that!"

"Well, she is. Deal with it."

"Hey, use your sharingan to –"

"No, if she falls, she'll die, and Gaara'll be pissed. She's not going anywhere; we'll just send someone to tell him about all of this."

In the distance, Kisame was yelling because Deidara was smacking his ass, trying to knock him loose. (And for the fun of it.)

Gaara was almost done when the messenger came in. Hmph, should have caught the girl when he had the chance. Now Kankuro was hurt, Kisame was stuck in his chimney, and the girl was trapped outside his room. Well, he would just have to finish up earlier than usual.

He reached down and plucked out the Hyuuga's eyes. He dropped them in a jar of preservative, picked up a scalpel, and slit the prisoner's throat, silencing those annoying screams. He then walked out.

Upon reaching his home, he found Kisame still stuck in the chimney, complaining that his ass hurt, his balls itched and that the wench had bit his hand. Gaara just rolled his eyes and made his way to his room.

"How bad is it?"

"She bit Kankuro on the hand, he might need stitches. She's still stuck down there."

"Alright, I'll get her," Gaara grumbled as he began to climb down.

When he reached her, he was actually surprised. This was no assassin or spy. This was a terrified- and a very dirty- little girl. She shrank away.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm not going to hurt you, come here, Little One, you'll be ok," he cooed at her. She didn't respond, just stared at him with wide frightened eyes.

"What's your name?" no response.

He cocked his head to the side. "Can you speak?" she shook her head slightly no.

"Alright, well come here, let's get you inside and cleaned up, alright? I promise not to hurt you. Now, come on Little One." She hesitated a moment longer, but finally allowed herself to be scooped up in his arms.

"Good girl, now hold on tight, ok?" he held her with one arm as he climbed back up to his room. When he reached the balcony, he carried her bridal style inside.

Ok! Second chapter done! Hope you like! In my story, people in suna us lord or lady when they use sama. It's just a weird custom. Read and review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I forgot the disclaimer at the beginning, so here it is. I don't own Naruto. (But Asa, Kameko, Chiko and Eviko are mine. Ask before you use, please, or at least give me credit) for all those who reviewed I send many thanks, I really appreciate it. Now, onward!

Gaara was just entering through the balcony door when he discovered that the girl still had some fight left. Apparently, she hadn't given up on her escape attempt yet. She was squirming, clawing, kicking, hitting, and, of course, trying to bite his fingers off. Keeping a hold of her without hurting her was becoming quite the chore.

"Now, now, calm down, you'll be alright. Quit squirming, you little- hey! Don't bite me, you're lucky I'm not using my sand armor, and hitting me isn't getting you anywhere. You have more fight than some of my best shinobi, you know? Stop fighting, I mean it, now Little One, KNOCK IT OFF!" He bellowed. She cringed, and he sat her on the plush, wine colored rug in the middle of his floor.

As he straightened back up, he immobilized her with his sand, carefully, so as not to harm her. He knew she had every right to be scared, after all, she had seen him torturing her fellow clan member no to long ago. So he reminded himself as he pondered the frightened girl before him, peering up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you, alright? I just wanted to know what you're doing here. I think you may already know, but I will tell you who I am anyway. I am Gaara, Lord Kazekage of this village. I have various other titles, but we'll stick with that for now. Know that I am far, far stronger than you are, and it would be unwise for you to keep fighting me. I understand that you're frightened, and that you have had a long day, but it is time for you to calm down. Kankuro, stop making faces at her and go get you're hand looked at. Itachi, please go make sure that those three lunatics aren't completely dismantling my house trying to get Kisame free, thank you."

"Awww, but I wanna see what happens."

"Stop your whining, you were just saying about how worried you were about how you might lose your hand, and it isn't even that bad, you moron."

"but-"

"Go and do as I say, before I throw you off my balcony"

"Yes sir!" Kankuro executed a salute before following Itachi, who was already half way down the hall. Gaara sighed and knelt down in front of Hinata.

"I'm going to ask some questions, just nod yes or no, ok? Good, were you running away from the Hyuuga I had captured?" She hesitated, then bobbed her head yes.

"Were you fleeing my men because you were frightened of me, or did you think that they would give you up to your pursuer? Or was it both?" she gave a hesitant nod. "Both?" another hesitant nod.

"Can you read and write?" Another positive nod and she looked down shyly. Gaara nodded in satisfaction, then rose and started digging in his desk, (an attractive one, made of a very dark mahogany, which matched his black marble floor nicely.) eventually finding what he was looking for, and bringing her a tablet and pen.

"Write your name." Scratch scratch, and the tablet was returned to Gaara.

"Hinata," he murmured. His gaze roamed her body speculatively. She blushed at the attention, and at the way he said her name.

"Well, Hinata, you need a bath, so let's go." He scooped her up in his arms again.

"Well, you're covered head to toe in soot, and it needs to come off. Kameko, please go get me a mild bath soap and foam for her, Eviko and Chiko, help me get her ready."

"You got it, Gaara sama!" A very strange girl left the room. She had long orange hair with black stripes, a blue shirt on, pink skirt, tall green socks, purple sandals and an odd brown lace belt around her waist. Yellow eyeshadow, a small cardboard hat, white eyes with for black dots, and forest green lips completed the look.

"That's normal for her, girlie," the black haired one said. She was wearing a white shirt and black pants, with black shoes.

"Be nice, Chiko chan." This one was blond, with a long brown skirt and cream skirt, with cream colored heals. Must be Eviko, and on that note, Hinata was carried into his bathroom. Kameko returned with lavender baby soap and bubble bath.

"Baby soap?" Gaara inquired.

"Trust me, best bubble bath ever! And besides, nuthin's milder, hee hee!" Kameko began to giggle. Gaara gave her an odd look, than shrugged it off and started her bath. He than began to gently remove Hinata's clothing.

"Good God!" he exclaimed. She was covered head to toe in bruises, and was so emaciated; he could identify every bone in her body. Her left elbow in particular was very bad, and looked infected. On closer inspection he saw small puncture wounds. She immediately curled into a ball, out of shame.

"Get me Shizune! Ever since Tsunade's disappearance, she's been working at the hospital, go now!"

"Yes sir!" said Eviko, and she dashed off.

Chiko left to get a first aid kit, and Kameko helped Gaara ease her into the water.

"Here, you get her back, and I'll take a look at this elbow." Kameko wet a small white washcloth, and Gaara gently took her small arm and examined it. He carefully pulled out a needle that had been embedded in the skin. She flinched.

'They drugged her?' he thought.

Shizune came in through the door, Chiko and Eviko on her heals.

"I teleported here after getting Eviko's call, so- "Shizune gave a gasp of surprise and horror upon seeing Hinata. She made her way over to her and knelt down.

"This was in her arm."

"Gaara sama, this is a needle from a syringe, who ever did this-"

"Drugged her. Starved and beat her too. She's very sick, I felt a fever, and you can hear fluid in her lungs. I've seen corpses recovered from the battlefield in better shape."

They pulled her out of the bath and sat her on his bed after drying her off. She found herself liking the soft black comforter, and the dark red sheets looked inviting too.

"These bruises are a mix of old and new, they're gentle fist bruises. Her chakra system is shredded, and she has damage to her heart and lungs. The fluid in her lungs seems to be a mix of blood and infected mucous associated with pneumonia. Are you sure she ran all the way from the tower?"

"Yeah, and she ran to the tower, and in it too, she must have run at least six miles today. Tough little thing, huh?"

"Miraculous is more like it. We should keep her here, going to the hospital will only stress her, and she's safer here anyways. Feed her a small bowl of a mild cereal, and give her this injection, it's an antibiotic, I'll have her prescriptions ready in the morning. I'll be honest, Gaara sama, she might not make it through the night. Bed rest is important. We need to drain the fluid from her lungs, so let's give her this painkiller; it won't react to any drug that might be in her system, so it's safe."

After her treatment, Gaara slipped a soft, long black t-shirt over her head, and lay down beside her, keeping her warm as she drifted off to sleep. He gently cuddled her, and hoped that she made it through the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Author note: thanks for the reviews, like to answer the questions of Gaara and Hinata's ages. Gaara is 19 and Hinata 18, but they were born in the same year. Gaara was born on January 19 and Hinata December 27. Gaara is being kind of father like because he is feeling protective, which will kind of be explained later. Now, onward with the chapter.

Chapter Three

Gaara didn't sleep that night, but he never slept anyway, so he was used to that. But that little bundle of… well she wasn't exactly happy, so he couldn't call her a bundle of joy, but she squirmed a lot, and at one point had come close to yanking out her IV, so how about the bundle of trouble? Anyway, she had managed to keep him on edge all night, nonstop, even when she slept. At one point she had stopped breathing, which made him worry, until, that is, until she sneezed and woke herself up. She had a very quiet sneeze, and that combined with that puzzled look made him crack up. She gave him a reproachful look, then went back to sleep in a huff. She really did have a change in personality when she was tired.

But she did make it through the night, and was awake when the girls came in to see her. Asa had finally made it out of the hospital, but the baby was still there. He was finally out of the incubator though, so progress was being made. The girls said a quick hello to her before going off to work. The strange one wasn't with them, though.

Hinata was now finally able to observe her surroundings, while Gaara left to get her breakfast. The rug that she was on yesterday wasn't just dark red; it had a black pattern in it. The pattern seemed to be a spiral shape of some kind. It was pretty, to her anyway. The floor was a variety of dark colored wood, including cherry, mahogany, and black oak. It was always in some sort of pattern, but it was hard for her to tell in the dim light. However, in the office area, where the rug was, it was black marble. Gaara had drawn the curtains against the hot sun, even this early in the morning it was intense.

The curtains were heavy, and black, the cords used to hold them back was a gold rope, and they were on a wrought iron rod. The bed was a large king sized bed, and on a wooden box (matching the floor.) deep red sheets and a soft black comforter. The head board had several small drawers and a shelf, and a few books were there. His desk was large and matched the bed. And a high backed chair was tucked into the desk. There seemed to be a small alcove near the balcony entrance, but it was partially hidden by the curtains, so she couldn't get a good look. The bathroom door was open, and she could see the black marble sink, tub, and the toilet. The walls were white marble, with another pattern series in black marble. Red towels and gold colored faucets completed the look in there.

She looked at the walls, which had black and gold border paper. The walls themselves were polished stone of some kind, sort of sandy in color, with an array of patterns in darker colors. It was a nice, warm room, despite the enormous size and decadence.

"Alert and restless, I see." She looked over and saw Gaara with a tray in his hands. The bowl was making strange, snapping sounds. He set the tray before her.

"Rice krispies, with a little sugar, and a glass of milk, remember to eat slowly, or you'll get sick. The cereal always makes that noise. I have your medicine, and I'm having the girls get my paper work from the office, so I'll be here for the day. I also have a few night gowns and other stuff for you." A loud thud interrupted him, followed by a loud exclamation.

"Whoa, that was awesome un!"

Gaara gave a sigh. "I had better go see what happened."

So he left and Hinata ate her breakfast. She liked these "rice krispies," they made happy noises. She clapped her hands in a child-like manner. She also liked this milk, despite it's add color. She had never seen a white colored drink before.

"Hey there, how are you? I just came in to drop off some paperwork. How ya doin'?" it was Kameko, the strange one. She still had her orange and black hair, for now, but now she had purple zebra pants, green boots, a hot pink shirt, and earrings that appeared to be bottle caps. Orange lipstick, blue eye shadow, and pink eyes completed the look. Hinata gave her a friendly nod, and Kameko set some files on the desk. Then she turned towards Hinata.

"Don't let Kisame scare ya, he's more bark than bite, and Itachi is just quiet, and Deidara is just a loud mouth who likes to blow things up, that was the boom, he blew up an empty bottle, and Sasori thinks you're awesome for trapping Kisame in the chimney. See ya later!" she left to go help the others bring the paperwork.

Gaara came back in, and a Kisame was following close behind.

"Aw, come on, it wasn't my fault! It was hers, she dove through it first!"

"Oh really? Then tell me this, what could have possibly have made you think that you could fit down my chimney?"

"Well, she went down alright, so I thought I could."

"Are you kidding me?! One of your arms is bigger than her whole body! And besides, you dropped her, remember, and she has a hurt ankle because of that now!"

"But she bit me! See? Look at my band aid!"

"You wrenched her arm and scared her, and that band aid is from Finding Nemo, it says so right on the top, you wanna explain that?"

"Kameko gave it to me, and it wasn't my only injury, I had an ice pack on my ass all night!"

Itachi poked his head in."Kameko said you wanted that band aid, and your ass is not her fault."

Deidara poked his head in the other side. "Yeah, it's your fault that your ass is just so wonderfully smackable, un!"

"Shut up, you crazy ass smacking fiend!"

Itachi smirked slightly and entered. So did Deidara, and Sasori shoved past to see Hinata. He grinned at her.

"You are awesome! How did you do that? I mean, Kisame was totally stuck, and you just kept going! You're like a machine! A crazily awesome escape machine!"

"Sasori, give her some space, you're freaking her out."

"But her awesomeness compels me to tell her of her awesomeness!"

"Why are you acting this way? You are usually much calmer than this."

"Gaara, he is trying a new energy drink, un. It tastes funny, but he drinked it anyways, the whole case, un!"

"Drank."

"Say what, un?"

"drank, not drinked, drinked isn't even a word, you should know that, now get out, all of you, I need to give her her medicine, and then get to work. All this activity is going to make it harder to rest, and if you can't be quiet, go do something, like find the other Hyuuga's or help Asa get home. You know something useful."

"but I wanna talk to the little chickadee, un."

"Now, Deidara! Kisame, apologize to Hinata for scaring her and hurting her arm and ankle."

"But she bit me!"

"Kisame…"

"Oh, alright, sorry, you little guppy."

"Gaara, Shizune called a little while ago, she said that she would be back this evening to give her another dose of healing chakra, she also said that Asa's baby should be discharged at the end of the week."

"Thanks, Itachi, any word on Orochimaru?"

"He said that he may have a possible location of the rebels' hideout, but he wanted to make sure, first. He sent in a few spies, and Kimimaru will be reporting to us in a few days. Still no word on Tsunade, but Jiraiya is believed to be with the rebels."

"Ah, in that case, Orochimaru will need your help, just to make sure things go off without a hitch. Take Kisame with you, Deidara and Sasori will comb the village for any more Hyuuga, now go."

"Heh, this is gonna be fun, un."

They left to go and prepare, while Gaara turned his attention to Hinata, who was a little peeved at being called a guppy. Next time she'll take his finger off, and then he'd see who was a guppy! Stupid shark-man, calling her a guppy, at least she didn't get stuck in the chimney! Oh, yes, he'd find out soon enough that this guppy had piranha teeth! She'd show him guppy! He'll be nothing more than a little minnow after she was through with him! She'll stick him on a hook and use him as fish bait, and she'll cast the line out in the deep end of the pond, where all the big fish were, and they'd-

"What on Earth are you so worked up about? You're scheming about something, I can see it on your face, now what is it? You're not going to do anything drastic, are you? Actually, you're not doing anything for the time being, you're staying in bed until you get better, now take these pills."

She sulked a bit, but did as he said. Being with him and the others had made her bolder, now that she knew that they wouldn't hurt her. She liked the girls, and the guys seemed ok, except for Kisame calling her a guppy, oh that mad her so mad!

"Calm down, Oh Feisty One, you still need to take the syrup for your cough."

How did he always know? She couldn't be that obvious, could she?! She turned towards her hero, as she thought of him. He had a spoon full of this thick, black syrup. She didn't want to be in same room with that stuff, let alone put it inside her mouth! But maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked…

She opened her mouth, and he slid the spoon in, and she found out that she was right. It wasn't that bad, it was much, much worse. Gagging, she immediately tried to spit the foul stuff out, but Gaara wouldn't let her. He clamped his hand over her mouth and forced her to swallow. She did so with great reluctance, and gave him a dirty look as he began to put the medicine away. He wasn't such a hero anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Note: Hinata is 18, Gaara is 19, Hinata is just really childlike in her understanding of the world and because her fever kind of makes her loopy… you know when you get sick and you get a fever and you go sort of crazy? Like that. Plus, it adds to her charm. Sorry for not posting a chap yesterday, I meant to, I had, like, three paragraphs left, but I wasn't able to get back on the computer after I got kicked off. NOW ONWARD, MY DEAR READERS, ONWARD!!!

"Quit shooting me that dirty look, you need that medicine to get better!" his words had no effect on her, except for making her scowl even more. 'Shame on you!' was what that look said, and it seemed to be working, to some extent, because, quite honestly, Gaara was felling a little guilty about force feeding her that stuff, because it looked truly foul. It reminded him of the tar that people used on roads; it even smelled sort of like it. But she still had to take it, so he was going to make her take it. Still, if that look was anything to go by, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

He sighed and began to tuck her back in. she kicked the covers off. He looked at her funny, then tucked her back in. she kicked them off again. He rolled his eyes.

"Now look here, missy, you are going to stay in bed whether you like it or not, now quit it ad take your nap!" he tucked her in again. She kicked the covers off, some how managed to squirm passed him, and made a beeline for the bathroom.

'_Oh, so that was what she was doing.'_

_**'Heh, you gotta go, you gotta go, I guess.'**_

_'Oh, it's you, can't you just go crawl under a rock and die somewhere?'_

_**'Nice to see you, too, you jerk. After all the things I do for you, and this is how you treat me? Little ingrate, that's what you are, you jackass.'**_

_'Oh, shut up, you make my life more difficult, not easier, and anything you do for me is overridden by all the crap you put me through, you butt sniffing moron!'_

_**'You shit head, you whine all the time, but anyways, who's the cutie, and how did you get so lucky as to get her in your room? Not by charming her, that's for sure, did you pay her? 'Cuz that's the only way for you to get any tail, you homo.'**_

_'I am not a homo! And she is not a hooker! I did charm her in here, and not for sex, what is wrong with you, thinking that it's ok to try to violate some poor girl when she's sick…you sick bastard! You're a perverted old fart, do you know that?!'_

_**'Hmm, fart, I wonder if she's farting now, you'd like that, wouldn't you, yeah, you wanna stick your nose up there and sniff up all of her farts, the ranker the better, that's how horny you are, you little horn dog, you.'**_

_'……that is probably the most messed up thing I have ever heard. What is your problem?! Who on this planet sniffs people's farts on purpose because they like it?! You're a fucking sick, porn-crazed, moronic retard, that's what you are, how does anyone even think like that? You furry fucktard.'_

_**'Oh yeah?! Well, at least I can appreciate the finer things in life; you just mope around all day, every day. You need to go out and kill someone, that'll make you feel better. No, scratch that, you need to get laid. It's been, like, forever, and this time you need a girl that's good. Out of the dozens of girls you've been with, you have yet to come, yeah, that's right, you need a really good roll in the hay. You'll feel much better, trust me.'**_

_'I don't need to get laid, I need you to shut up, now that'll make me feel better. Moronic fur ball.'_

_**'Little shit face.'**_

_'Hairy-asshole.'_

_**'Man-whore.'**_

_'You're one to talk, you like your own crotch, and you can't tell me that it's just to keep clean. You also lick your own ass. Heh, you really do have shitty breath.'_

_**'Grrrr, you little- fine, you know what? Fine, just fine, you suck, and you're mean, and you make me cry, now are happy?'**_

_'Sort of, now, go crawl back in your little hole, there's a good boy.'_

_**'Bite me.'**_And with that, Shukaku left.

_'Ah, peace and quiet .Oh, I wonder how long she has been standing there?'_

"Now are you ready for your nap? Good, now march your cute little but over to that bed and get in, and stay in, you got that?" For once today, Hinata actually listened. Gaara went into the bathroom, he needed to change into his kage robes, and then get to work, at home, because people would be showing up any minute now. He had redesigned the robes, making them black and red, mostly because he hated the thought of wearing anything that his father had worn. He left his hat off, he hated wearing hats, he really did. They made his head itch.

'Oh, she had just wanted to brush her teeth.' He had given her a tooth brush last night, and her own tooth paste. Floss and mouth wash was also provided. She was very appreciative.

When he got out he pulled a heavy black curtain down to give her some privacy, she didn't need a hundred strangers gawking at her while she was trying to sleep. Since her fever was back, he also laid a cool cloth on her forehead. Well, the fur ball was right about one thing, she was cute. He could just imagine her when she was better. She also reminded him of when he was a child, and that made him want to protect her, he didn't want her to end up like him, bitter and full of hate. He had never been able to get rid of it, even now, it was still there. People thought it was a thirst for power or a desire to help his country that made him seize control of Suna. They were wrong, it was hatred. He wanted to make those responsible for his suffering to pay, and he held the elders, his father and the feudal lords responsible. If he had to lead this country, than so be it. Besides, the fact that his tormentors were now forced to obey him, and were even indebted to him, was very satisfying.

He didn't hate them all, and he wanted to make sure that another human weapon was never created again, so he had improved the village, mostly by getting the economy going again. People, he knew, were not mere tools, not even the shinobi. He had forgiven the citizens, for the most part, but never the elders, and never his father, and he never would. He was surprised, however to find that there were some that were loyal to him, because he had, in some way, helped them. He had saved Asa from a couple of sound nin, and Chiko from a drunkard customer who refused to back off. (The guy had wet himself when Gaara had glared at him, too funny) Kameko was in need of surgery to repair a broken arm, and Eviko had been robbed on her way home. All had come to him the next day, seeking jobs. It was early in his reign, and he needed people to help him keep an eye on other ambitious nobles eying his throne. Their loyalty had impressed him, and continued to do so to this day, even if they could be a little strange.

However, Hinata was something really special, he knew. Shizune had already informed him that she had at one time been able to talk, and that there was nothing wrong with her vocal cords. It was trauma, she said, and he had to agree. There was some sort of mental barrier that stopped her, erected as some sort of defense. What she must have endured….he was jolted out of his reverie by a small sneeze. He heard her give a disgusted sigh settle back down. He smirked. If she was lucky, she might just get that IV out tonight. He sighed and sat down at his desk to work.

Later that night

Shizune had come over, and a good chunk of Hinata's little body was now healed. Her chances of survival had just increased fifty percent. They now had her age and height, and weight, now that she was rested enough to go through a basic physical evaluation. She was eighteen, five feet tall, and thirty-five pounds. Her teeth and gums were in good shape, aside from a calcium deficiency, but she was lacking in all of her nutrients, so that was no surprise. All of her fractures were healed, and her lungs were in better shape, due to the healing chakra. Her heart would have to wait, though, because her body needed to be in much better shape in order for it to survive the stress of the chakra needed to heal it. Her meals were still the same, though, light and easy on the stomach, no grease or heavy seasonings, because they would make her sick. No caffeine, because it would strain her heart and interact with her medication. A multivitamin was added to her medications, bringing her daily intake up to six pills, one dose of the evil syrup, all twice a day, except for the vitamin, which was once, and the inhaler, which was as needed. The IV was still there, much to her dismay, the tape made her itch, but she recognized its importance. At least she had no parasites. That was something, right?

After all was said and done, Gaara turned off the light, and got into bed with her, holding her close again. He was surprised at how fast she had grown on him, but he strangely didn't mind. Even though he didn't sleep, he still liked being beside her while she did, making sure she was ok. She was out like a light, without a fuss, and all was peaceful. He hoped she didn't sneeze.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Author note: I just noticed something really weird about my fourth chapter. I labeled it chapter three! So now I have two chapter threes! This is really weird, and I have no idea as to why I did that! Oh, well, thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it. Now here's chapter six. Oh, and I don't own any of the food or drink brands that may be listed, just in case there might be a CEO reading this or something, but I highly doubt that. Also, I have nothing against gays; I just like making Shukaku a jerk. Enjoy!

Well, Sasori and Deidara were back, but they hadn't found anything. The Hyuuga were really good at running away. Poor Sasori had come down off his energy drink high and was now in a state of misery now that he had crashed. He had holed himself up in his room, and hadn't been seen for the better part of six hours, and when Deidara had tried to sneak in he had thrown a kunai right at his head, barely missing him. No ones tried to enter since.

Gaara had been trying to cope with an ever hungry and inquisitive Hinata. After three days of being stuck in bed, she was getting restless, and kept trying to sneak out of his room to do some exploring. His attempts to rein her in were hampered by the fact that she no longer had an IV. It was a good sign, he supposed, it meant that she was getting better, but she could just be so childish! It was very cute, but at times it could be so frustrating! The main cause of his aggravation was that she always disappeared when it was time to take her medicine. He would eventually find her, and she would take the pills with no problem, but as soon as he brought out the syrup she turned into a raging little wild cat, and he had to force feed her the stuff, with great difficulty. She would then be pissed at him for the rest of the day.

But today, he had a plan. As he finally managed to find the missing girl (in Sasori's closet, since Sasori had become quite fond of her.) he had her sitting on the bed, a stubborn, defiant look in her eyes. That look quickly changed to one of curiosity when he offered her a small bite of watermelon. She was delighted.

"Yeah, you like that, don't you, Dove?" she gave an enthusiastic head bob.

"Want more?" another fervent nod. Gaara smiled triumphantly.

"Then take your medicine, including the syrup, without giving me any problems." Her face fell. He handed her the pills, and she took them without any problem, chasing them down with a glass of water. But now came the hard part. She glowered at the syrup, and for a brief moment he thought his plan might fail, but she finally opened her mouth and let him slide the foul stuff in. her mouth closed, and she fought mightily to overcome her disgust and swallow. This included beating her tiny fists on the bed.

After she was done, she glowered at him. _'That was a dirty trick.' _Her expression read. He chuckled, and presented her with a mug of herbal tea to cut through the syrup, and then a bowl of watermelon, as promised. This pacified her, and would keep her occupied, for now, at least.

He had to go to a meeting today, and he needed someone to watch her, no telling what she might get into, and besides, it was more for her protection than anything. Sasori and Itachi could be counted on to remain focused, and besides, he needed Kisame and Deidara elsewhere. Deidara was working on a new type of paper bomb, and Kisame was teaching some academy students basic sword play and tiajutsu. Hinata was getting better, but he'd rather have someone on hand in case she had a coughing fit or something. Besides, it'd be good for her to socialize a bit with someone else besides him.

Gaara sighed and prepared to leave.

"Be good for Sasori and Itachi, I'll be home in a few hours. Later, Dove."

She gave him a good bye hug, and he then left her in the capable hands of the two former Akatasuki. Sasori smiled at her, while Itachi looked at Gaara.

"We don't need to give her any medication while you're gone, do we?"

"No, Itachi, just the inhaler, and only if she has a really bad coughing fit, why?"

"I don't want her to bite my fingers off if I try to give her that black crap."

"Ah, good point." With that, Gaara left.

Sasori threw a soft wine colored blanket around her, and then they took her downstairs. He sat her on a black leather chair, while Itachi pulled over two matching chairs, and a small black table.

"Let's play scrabble. It'll be fun, and it won't get anyone worked up."

"I dunno Itachi, Deidara and Kisame can get pretty aggressive when they play anything."

"But they're not here, and they'll never know."

"Mmm, good point." And so began Hinata's introduction to the world of games. They played for quite some time, munching on some sliced apples, when they heard a bang.

"Hellooooo, anybody home? YOOHOOO! I can heeeeaaaar youuuuuu, un!"

"Shit, he's still supposed to be at the lab!"

"What was that you were saying about them never knowing about this?!"

Another bang was heard.

"Oh, man, you would not believe how exhausting those kids are, and I thought sparing with Itachi could be bad, but man, those kids are evil. Oh, hey Ass Man."

"Hey, you hear that? The Chimney calls for you, and your ass begs for more. Hey guys! Well, well, the little humming bird has flown the coup, hasn't she? What are you doing down here with these two losers, un?"

"LOSERS?! DEIDARA, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S A LOSER! YOU DRESS IN MORE DRAG THAN THAT SNAKE- LICKING OROCHIMARU! AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY CALLING HINATA A HUMMING BIRD?! YOU'D BETTER NOT CORRUPT HER, YOU LITTLE-"

"Easy, Sasori, Deidara's just mad that he wasn't the one to get to watch her today, and because he has the vocabulary of a two-year-old, that's why he can't win at scrabble."

Few things could set Sasori off like Deidara mocking him, so, naturally, Deidara did it all the time. Itachi could always be counted on to help keep the peace between the, though. For the most part, that is. But when games were involved, it was all out war.

"hey, Little Guppy, what's up? EEEYAAAAH!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

Hinata had just attacked Kisame, smearing peanut butter all over his head. She glared at him defiantly. Itachi then did the unthinkable: he cracked up. He laughed so hard that he couldn't stand, and was left on his ass on the floor. Sasori and Deidara had joined him. Kisame looked at them, obviously pissed.

"What is her problem? Why does she hate me so much? Why doesn't she do this to Sasori?! Or Orochimaru?"

"well, Kisame, Sasori doesn't call her names, and she has never even met Orochimaru, and if I have my way, she never will. Oh, and I don't think she likes being called 'Guppy.'" Itachi said after he collected himself. Sasori nodded sagely.

"dude, you're no sage, why are nodding like that?"

"nodding like what?"

"Like some old mountain dude, you know, like you're some kind of sage or Santa Clause, or a pervert like Jiraiya."

"It's all in your head, Deidara, it's all in your head."

"No it's not! You're-"

"Hey, are you guys gonna play or what?"

"Sure, yeah, un."

"so long as Guppy Girl doesn't go medieval on my ass."

She lunged at him, and he flinched.

"aha! Two for flinching, un!" Deidara smacked him twice on the head.

"gross, un!" he wiped his hands on Kisame's coat. Then they all settled down to play. Itachi spelled out shurikan. Sasori spelled out kunai. Kisame spelled out guppy, Hinata retorted with minnow. Deidara spelled out turd, who was then scolded by Sasori because it wasn't a term in the dictionary. He took back his tiles, and then spelled out butthead. Itachi spelled out ignorant. Sasori retorted to Deidara by putting down moron. Kisame looked at Hinata and put down smallfry, who was chastised by Itachi because it was two words, not one, so he took back small and left fry. Hinata glared at him and put down plankton. Thus the ring of insults continued until Gaara wandered in and found them a few hours later, just as Kisame was putting down troll. He snuck behind Hinata and picked up her tiles, laying them out so that it spelled sushi. That pissed him off.

"You aren't supposed to be helping her, you jerk!" Gaara smirked.

"Then don't pick on her, you hagfish. what happened to your hair?"

"She dumped peanut butter on my head!"

"Yeah, but you called her guppy, un."

"but –"

"You screamed like a girl, too."

"Shut up, Itachi."

"Yeah, we're gonna have to call you sharket from now on."

"Shut up, Sasori."

"Or shark girl. Or nurse, un!" Deidara cracked up.

"Nurse? Deidara, what- oh, I get it, nurse shark. You know what else works? Dog fish."

"Shut up, Sasori! You are such a dick, you, you, dick!"

"You're just mad because mine's bigger than yours," Sasori said calmly.

"Oh yeah?! Well, let's compare sizes, right here, right now!"

Gaara smacked him upside the head, carefully avoiding the peanut butter. "You will do no such thing, not in front of a lady."

"Yeah, where do you get off on ruining her innocence, un?"

"I have to agree with Deidara, stripping in front of her is like stripping in front of a little kid, which is so wrong on so many levels. We already have one pedophile, let's not make it two."

"whoa, Itachi, I never thought I'd hear this. but you're right, especially about the pedophile part. Lucky for the little humming bird that Orochimaru likes boys, right un?"

A general agreement was reached on the subject, even by Kisame, who admitted that they could compare sizes without the little guppy present. Hinata promptly huffed and tried to tackle him, but he was saved by Gaara, who had scooped her up in his arms as soon as she leaped at him. Kisame had screamed in terror anyways.

"Hey you, you haven't even said hi to me yet, and here you are attacking Kisame. Guess that guppy-thing really ticks you off, huh?" Gaara cooed at her, and then he looked at Kisame. "you have no idea how sad you look when you run away from her. You'll face ANBU, Jonin, missing ninja, strange mutants, and other crap, but when it comes to Hinata, you freak out. She's only forty pounds!"

"But she's meeeeaaaaan! She threw peanut butter on my head! And she calls me names on scrabble!"

"Like you don't do the same thing, in fact, you start it."

"No I don't, she started it! She bit me and trapped me in the chimney! See? I still have the band aid!" Kisame proudly displayed his Finding Nemo band aid. Gaara rolled his eyes, and was about to retort, but a knock came from the door. Eviko was heard greeting someone, and Kimimaru walked in.

"I have news on the rebels. They are using Tanzuka Castle as a base, and are planning to launch an offensive."

"Yes, go on."

"Hiashi is with them, along with most of the Hyuuga Clan."

Ooooh! He's back! What will Gaara do? Or more importantly, what will Hinata do? If you want to find out, Read and review!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey! Chapter 7! Happy times! Thanks to all of my reviewers, you guys are awesome! Especially Plinkoid and kawaiiitahina123, they've reviewed almost every chapter… I have fans, I could cry tears of joy… but then I would be blind and unable to type, so I'll just get a hold of myself and have happy tears later. Oh fair warning, this chapter is going to be darker, more like the first two, with possible torture, if it isn't in this chapter then it will be in the next one, so be ready. Here goes!

Chapter Seven

Hinata didn't sleep well that night. Monsters haunted her dreams, monsters and old memories. Every hour or so she woke up, sometimes weeping, sometimes trying to fight an invisible foe. It took Gaara at least half an hour to calm her down so that she wasn't desperately trying to get away from him, seeing someone else in his place. She would then cower against him, frightened that they were going to get her, and terrified of sleep. They were still out there, in a place called Tanzuka. On a map it looked far away, but it wasn't far enough for her, and she was convinced that at any moment they could spring out of a corner somewhere and get her.

Her most vivid dream had been a memory from almost four years ago, when her clan had decided it was time for Hanabi to improve upon her accuracy when it came to striking the chakra points in an enemy. Her father and Neji had tied her to a tree so that Hanabi and others could use her for target practice. The rope had been tight around her skin, and it had been very difficult to get the knots undone. They had found her a few hours later, and had beaten her severely, then held her upright between the two of them while her sister finished her training. Neji had laughed at her, and so had Hanabi and their laughter still echoed in her skull.

Gaara seemed to sense her pain, and he cuddled her close while she wept, shushing and cooing to her, taking a damp cloth and softly wiping her eyes with it. She stopped crying, but was still very upset, shaking against him. He looked at the clock on his nightstand. It was four in the morning, and the chill of the desert night had seeped in. he abruptly stood up, wrapped the black comforter securely around her, and carried her downstairs to the kitchen, not wanting to leave her alone. He sat her at the table, and warmed up some milk, adding honey to it, and then giving it to her. It seemed to make her feel a little better, and he stroked her back as she sipped it.

"I will protect you, Little One, so you don't need to be afraid anymore. That's a promise." She slept peacefully the rest of the night, while Gaara vowed to make her clan pay. No, not her clan, she was part of his clan now, the Hyuuga were a thing of the past, and he would soon make them history, by executing every single one. Their heads would be displayed along the arena in Sunagokure, to serve as a reminder to those who dared think that they could attack a member of his village and get away with it. He smiled softly at her sleeping form, kissing her on the cheek lightly, so as not to wake her.

At Gaara's Office

Asa had come in, wearing a simple brown dress and carrying a little bundle wrapped in a soft light blue blanket. Gaara looked up when he heard the cooing of three other girls. Asa smiled and brought her little boy to him, while he gazed at it.

"What is his name, Asa san?"

"His name is Keitaru, Lord Gaara sama." When he was working, a certain amount of formality was needed, even amongst the quartet and the Akatasuki, thus the title.

"It suits him. Eviko, my map of Tanzuka and the castle, please."

"Yes, Lord Gaara sama," she handed him the requested map, and he unrolled it, revealing a very detailed depiction of the town, even noting the small streams. The castle was a relic from the days when the samurai had been the all important warriors, before the feudal lords had started using ninja more. When the first great war broke out, ninjas were used almost exclusively, and have been ever since. Samurai were still around, but they no longer possessed the clout that they once had, and the ninja have been in control of the military ever since. And now another great war might break out, due to the war between the leaf and sand. The grass and mist nins were eyeing the remains of the leaf country, hoping to expand their territories, waterfall and mist were hoping to attack Suna, thinking that the war had weakened them, and the sound village had actually split into two parts, one following Orochimaru into his service to Gaara, the other trying to expand their territory and become a major player in the upcoming battle. Stone and snow remained aloof, as always, since their villages were far too small and weak to enter the fray as of yet.

Gaara was determined to protect his country, and to save the land of fire from being ripped apart by the other countries. The alliance between the original five had been uneasy at the best of times; often clashing in all sorts of minor conflicts, and the animosity had been evident in the chunin, jonin, and ANBU exams. But the feudal lords had previously been able to hold things together, along with the kages, and so peace was maintained. But now one kage was missing, and another had slain his feudal lord, shattering the image that they had been untouchable. Furthermore, he had proven that they weren't necessary for the country to function, and in fact that his country was better off without him. The kages and lords were scared, and were anxious to get rid of sand and leaf as soon as possible, so they could solidify their rule once more.

One thing was certain, though, and that was that Gaara needed to track down the leaf shinobi, either convincing them to join up with sand or executing them, he wouldn't be able to focus on the new threats otherwise. He was going to have to personally take care of Tanzuka, along with some of his best men. He knew he had time to prepare, Tanzuka was the most secure location left in the land of fire, and the rebels would be unwilling to leave it. They had food, water, shelter, and medical supplies, and they knew the terrain. Gaara was also certain that the Nara clan was there, along with the Inuzaka, Akamichi, and the Hyuuga. This fight wasn't going to be easy, and he couldn't know for certain how many enemies there were, but he wouldn't get another opportunity like this, and he had to take it, even if it was a trap. He couldn't risk taking a large task force with him; they would only slow him down and be spotted. He needed fire power, but he couldn't leave the village unprotected.

"Chiko, please inform my siblings that they will be ruling in my stead for a while. Kameko, get me Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, and Itachi, they will be at my house, Asa, find Kisame, Kabuto, and Orochimaru, they'll be at the tea house, leave your baby here, Eviko will watch him while she prepares the tea. Hurry."

"Yes Lord Gaara sama."

Not long afterward the former criminals filed in, with Kameko and Hinata close behind. Kameko had dyed her hair green recently, silver pants, a pink shirt, red ball cap, and yellow pumps was her outfit, completed by purple eyes, blue lipstick, and red eye shadow. Oh, what a sight. Kisame gave a big toothy grin to Eviko, who huffed and looked away. Gaara caught her blush, though. _So there was a thing between them, of sorts._

_**Wonder if they've done it yet.**_

_Shut up, you dirty old man._

_**Little baby sharks on the way, no scratch that. Mermaids with shark tails. Oh yeah, I can see it now, you'll have to get an indoor pool, and-**_

_Will you shut up?! It's not enough that I have a war to fight, I have to deal with you too?! You and your sick fantasies! Next you'll say something about last night-_

_**Kick his ass, Gaara.**_

_What?_

_**Kick that dickless Hyuuga's ass. It's a crime, doing that to the little dove, she's the nicest person on this planet, and he needs to pay.**_

_Since when do you care about Hinata? You always give her crap in my head; thank God she can't hear you…_

_**Pissing you off is completely different from doing what that fucker did, and I say we skin him alive, then we draw and quarter him, and then we stick his head on a pike and display it at the front gates. Same goes for the rest of them.**_

_Holy crap! We actually agree on something! We should write this down!_

_**I know! It's a miracle! Ooh ooh! Let's see if we can do it again! After we get back, bed the girl! All night long!**_

_How about no! You sick bastard, I knew you would find something to ruin the moment! Leave her out of this! _

_**You're thinking about it, though, and you know you want to. Come on, she's growing more beautiful by the day, and I bet her ass feels amazing, so you think about that while you have you're little war meeting. Toodles! **_

_…you jerk, why'd you have to do that?_

"Hey, Gaara nii, you ok?"

"…I hate him…"

"My paper bomb is ready for testing; it should be ready for the upcoming fight, that's why you called us in, right, un?"

"Yeah, you guys are all coming with me, except the girls, and that includes you, Hinata, you are far too sick to make this trip." Hinata slumped in disappointment.

"All right, we have two weeks to prepare, and then we leave. Now, let's take a look at the terrain…"

Two Weeks Later.

He was leaving her today. It wasn't fair! She should get to go! She knew her clan better than any of them, and she had been working hard, learning about all sorts of medicinal herbs, so she could help! And besides, how else would she be able to conquer her fear? She needed to go!

Gaara sat down on the bed beside her. "I will return as soon as I can, until then, stay here and get well, ok?" he gave her a kiss on the cheek, then left.

She waited for a while, and then took out her pack. She had been busy these past two weeks too. She had been secreting away supplies, and had made several manuals detailing various plants and their characteristics, both in the desert and in the land of fire. She had also gotten some maps, and a compass, so she wouldn't get lost. She had her medicine, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, along with several changes of clothing, food, water, rope, and a knife. A basic first aid kit and sun block completed her pack. She jotted down a note for the girls so that they wouldn't worry, and then carefully snuck out of the mansion, her back to the setting sun. She was going whether he liked it or not.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey plinkoid, my faithful reviewer, you are so awesome, and Gaara and Hinata are my favorite couple too, I just find it hard to picture Gaara with any other girl in the series, he would kill Sakura and Ino, Temari is his sister, Tenten is obsessed with Neji, Matsuri is his student, and I get the vibe that he sees her as his kid sister, and the rest of them are too old. I also can't picture him as gay. I can picture other characters as gay like Kabuto, Kimimaru, Orochimaru, Sasuke, possibly Neji, possibly Lee, and some others, just not Gaara. I don't know why, really, I just can't. Is this true for you, or am I just weird? Meh, I've rambled on enough, now I'm feeling guilt about such a long author note with no info about this chapter…ok, how about possible torture? Graphic violence? Deidara forcing Kimimaru to dance the tango with him for no particular reason? I can see Deidara as bisexual, by the way, he just strikes me as that kind of guy, and it makes for good reading, so there. Ok, enough onward with the chapter all ready!

Chapter Eight

The girls were very upset when they found the note, and immediately called for a search party, hoping to catch Hinata before Gaara knew she was missing. The desert was an exceedingly harsh environment, even the strongest of shinobi could die in a day from exposure, and she was sick, in no condition to travel anywhere. But there was another, more potent fear about this problem. Gaara did not abide disobedience, of any kind. Those that defied him would end up in a bad way, sometimes dead. No one was stupid enough to disobey him twice.

He had tolerated her flighty ways at first, her refusal to take her medicine willingly, and even her wandering around his house when she should have been in bed, because her behavior was understandable. But this was something else. He had told her to stay at his house and focus on her health, and she had deliberately disobeyed him. If he ever found out, he could very well kill her. They were desperately trying to find her, but they haven't even been able to find a clue as to where she was. They probably never will.

Hinata had been able to pick up their trail, and was managing to keep a reasonable distance between them. She was playing it smart, traveling by night and resting during the hottest parts of the day. More often than not she dug a hole in the ground or used an abandoned cave for shelter. The sparse vegetation helped, and the shade from a bush was often a welcome respite from the sun, even if the bushes had more thorns than leaves. By sticking to the trail, and using her compass and maps to confirm her direction, she was on the right track. Following the trail at night was difficult, but the moon was fairly large, fast approaching the night when it would be full, and the skies were clear, so it was ok, for now. She could only hope that they reached the end of the desert before the moon waned too much, or she wouldn't be able to see. Even so, the desert was harsh, and it seemed like an endless sea of burning sand, and there was one other threat that was both unpredictable and unavoidable, a sand storm. If she was caught out in the open, she would die, period. Even if she survived the storm itself, she would lose the trail, which was hard enough to keep in sight as it was. The only real thing she had to go on was onset of footprints, which she knew to be Kisame's. he was the heaviest member of the group, even if Gaara was taller, and it took longer for the wind to erase his tracks.

It was hard, but she knew she could do it. She had to. She knew that she couldn't approach Gaara until she had proven that she could be of use, he would be too angry. But she had to do this, for her sake as well. And so, she continued to trudge along, and was for once grateful for her light weight; the wind erased her tracks swiftly, so no one could find her. There really was no stopping her. She hoped Gaara wouldn't be too mad.

Gaara was troubled; he had this funny feeling in his gut that something wasn't right at home. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was there, all the same. It drove him nuts. It was their fourth day; last night had been a full moon. They were at rest, since it was the hottest part of the day. In two days they would reach the forest, they could already see the green wall of trees in the distance. They munched quietly on dried meat and fruit, chasing the mouthfuls down with warm water. It was impossible to keep anything cold in this heat. Gaara stuffed a teabag in his bottle. It was already hot, so why not make it at least somewhat pleasant?

"Something's bothering you." Sasori came to sit by him.

"I don't know, I have this feeling like there's something off at home."

"Off how?"

"I don't know, but something's not right, and it's irritating me."

"You can't do anything about it, not now anyway, so what's the point in worrying?"

"I think I'll send a message when we get close to Tanzuka, see if it's just me. I'll cast a genjutsu on the bird to disguise it as a native hawk, so as to not arouse suspicion."

"Sounds good to me."

They arrived in the land of fire two days later, and it was then that they caught the first rebel. The Hyuuga was interrogated, and then Gaara buried him alive, leaving him to rot. He had cut off the ninja's arms and legs, cauterizing the wounds so he wouldn't bleed to death, so it wasn't like he could dig himself out. Four days later they reached Tanzuka, unaware, for the most part, that they had been followed.

Hinata had been spending the past few nights in trees; the moon had waned too much for her to travel, but following the trail had become easier. It had rained recently, and though Gaara had left no trace of his passing, the others had. their footprints were in the clearings, and broken twigs and missing lichens betrayed their passing in the trees. Despite the fact that it seemed that her illness had worsened, she was making good time, and reached Tanzuka only one day after they did. There was only one problem.

The place was crawling with Hyuugas. They were hard to spot, at first, but she knew they were there. her lack of chakra however made it practically impossible for them to spot her. Unfortunately, they weren't the ones she should have been worrying about.

Gaara had just stepped outside to observe the castle when he caught a familiar scent. Lavender blended with white lilies, roses, and a hint of lilac. He knew that scent, he had rested besides its source for the better part of a month. Cold fury swept through him. How dare she?!

Hinata felt like she was being stalked. She tried to elude her pursuer, to no avail. The only clue as to who was chasing her was the chakra; it was so massive and angry. She tried to dart in an ally when she ran into a familiar figure, his black rimmed eyes blazing in fury.

Heh, a cliffy, I can be so cruel. Deidara and Kimimaru will dance in the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Author note: maybe I should tell you the meanings of the names. As you all know, names with the same pronunciation can have different meanings in Japan, the translation is in how they write their names. So the following names can have multiple meanings, but these are the ones that I chose. Asa: born in the morning. Chiko: close child. Eviko: cove child. Kameko: child of the tortoise. Ko means child in Japanese, and used to be very commonly used in naming girls. The baby, Keitaru, means blessed, since he must have been blessed to have survived, that is why Gaara responded as he did. Did you know that Nara translates into oak? Weird, huh? Ok, that's enough, now onward with the chapter.

Gaara gripped her arm painfully, dragging her along behind him swiftly, too fast for her to keep up. She clawed at his hand, hoping to get him to let go, but he only shook her, and dragged her along the ground. Since she was held up high, her shoes took most of the beating.

"I can't believe you came out here! How dare you! When I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed! You are completely out of line-"he rounded a corner, ignoring her fear and pain.

"do you have any idea of how much danger you have put us in? did you even stop to think about how you might jeopardize this mission? What about the girls, didn't you think that they would be worried? No, you didn't, did you, you little-"she was dragged up the stairs to the hotel, the stairs were concrete, so they shredded her pants, badly scraping her legs. She squirmed in pain.

"and what about the danger you are in? this place is crawling with Hyuugas; don't you think they would be just a little bit angry at you? Don't you think that they would kill you if they had half a chance? Don't you realize that in these situations I have killed my own men for pulling the stunt you just pulled? Did you think about the desert, about how lucky you were that it was so mild, and that had there been one normal day, or even one mild sandstorm, you would be dead and having the vultures fighting over your dead carcass?" he stormed into the room, barged past Sasori and Deidara, who were examining the building plans of the castle and maps of the surrounding terrain. They looked up in shock.

"Get in there and lay down on that bed! I don't even want to see you for the rest of this operation, and so help me, if you put even one toe outside of this room, I will break your legs, AM I CLEAR?!" He threw her on the bed, and then slammed the door shut, turning to Sasori and Deidara afterwards. "she doesn't come out unless the building's on fire, you deal with her, I'm in no mood." He stormed out, slamming the door so hard it cracked.

"Damn, don't remember the last time he was so angry, sheesh."

"don't you think he was a little rough on her, un?"

They went in to check on her. Sasori cleaned and bandaged her legs, while Deidara saw to her bruised arm and bumped head. Nothing too serious, lucky for her, Gaara had done much worse in the past, such as dismemberment, or crushing.

Sasori looked at her long and hard. "don't make him any angrier, just lay low and rest. Besides, your illness has worsened, I'm not mad, I think I know why you followed us, just don't do anything else, alright? Give him time to calm down."

She meekly obeyed, shocked to her core. She'd never thought that he would hurt her, no matter how angry he was. She also never expected him to catch her so soon, either. She thought she had known him, but now he was a stranger. Maybe if she explained why she came here he would understand? She hoped so, so she waited for his return.

When Kimimaru came back from observing the castle, he was in for a big surprise. Kimimaru was usually a dignified ninja, if a bit crazy and obsessive. This dignity made him a target for Deidara, who knew that Hinata was watching through the slit under the door. He hadn't seen her this upset and frightened in a while, and it didn't feel right when she was unhappy. He wanted her to smile. So he strutted over to his unknowing victim.

"Hey, how's it going, my bony friend, un?"

"it is quiet out there, too quiet," Kimimaru replied stiffly, not liking Deidara's arm around his shoulders. The pyromaniac grinned wickedly.

"you need to loosen up, relax, ever try dancing, un?"

"You know very well that I have five dances in my arsenal, all of them deadly," he responded, not liking where this was headed.

"oh, yes, the clematis dance, the bracken dance, yadda yadda yadda. That isn't dancing, that's just doing a bunch of funky moves and calling it dancing, un. Tell you what, I'll teach you the true art of dancing! Starting with the tango, un! No need to thank me, now, let's get started, un!" with that poor Kimimaru was seized by the waist and was forced into a fast paced tango. He screamed his head off, trying to get loose, while Deidara laughed like a psycho. Sasori stared in open mouthed shock, Kisame applauded, and Itachi seemed to be sharing Kimimaru's opinion.

"Very good, my bony friend, un! Now we try the salsa! It will make you popular with the ladies, un!" and yet another round commenced, with Kimimaru shouting death threats to Deidara. Orochimaru walked in.

"Oh, how lovely, I never knew you could be so graceful outside of battle, Kimimaru!" He clapped his hands in pleasure. Kabuto looked at him as if he were nuts.

"does this please you, Orochimaru sama?"

"of course it does, my dear, of course it does."

Kimimaru suddenly became more cooperative. Deidara lead him through the waltz, then the electric slide, and they were doing the chicken dance when Gaara walked in.

"What on earth are you doing?" he was still angry, apparently. So they stopped, much to some of their disappointment.

"Oh, I was just teaching Kimimaru how to properly dance, un. Nothing too special, so-"

"You are supposed to be working on the assault plans, not goofing off! You're wasting precious time that we don't have!"

"but we already went over them a thousand times! We know them by heart, un!"

"Bullshit, you don't have a clue, and besides, this kind of activity could get us caught by the rebels! Did you think of that?!"

"Gaara has a point, Deidara, besides, Hinata's trying to sleep-"

"She can suffer for all I care, Sasori. She should have thought about that before she decided to disobey me!"

He stormed into the kitchen, got a spoon, went into the room and threw it at her. She flinched. Luckily she had had the foresight to get in bed when she first saw him from underneath the door.

"Take your damn medicine, no excuses, go it?!" he slammed the door, locked her in, and headed out into the night.

"Sheesh, harsh, un."

Hinata paced restlessly in the room, unsure of what to do in this current situation. Obviously doing what he said wasn't helping, if anything, he was angrier. Maybe if she helped the others with the plans? No, they wouldn't take her seriously, not unless she had some hardcore information to back her up. But in order to get information, she needed to go into the castle. It wasn't that far fetched, actually. Since she had no chakra system, she would be practically invisible to the Hyuuga, as long as they were using their byakugan in certain ways. She was really the only one who could sneak in and do this.

She decided to go, taking her pack from under the bed. She took out her clothes and food, deciding to travel light. She left in her knife, inhaler, and first aid kit. Dressing in the darkest clothes she had, she left through the window.

She carefully made her way to the hospital, sneaking into the ventilation system. There she waited in a vent in the hall, waiting until the hospital closed to the public with the exception of emergencies. Then, using her knife, she unscrewed the grate, sliding stealthily to the floor. Her target was recovery ward, knowing that the things she was seeking would be there, with little people to notice her, now that visiting hours were over, and most of the people had gone home, leaving only janitors and a few scattered nurses and doctors. Once there, she swiped some syringes, a scalpel, scissors, clamps, and some more gauze and medical tape, refilling her supply. She also took some tweezers, just in case.

She then made her way to the psyche ward, knowing that the situation would be similar there. She had a few close calls, but she made it there undetected, taking a few bottles of chloroform, sedatives, wound ointment, and some restraints, with the key, of course. It wasn't easy getting in, she had to pick a few locks, but it would be worth it. Now for the hard part.

After exiting, she passed by a stand that had tourist maps of the castle, she had some money, and she paid for one then left, studying it closely. The rain was really coming down now, so she decided to take the storm drain while she could. using her compass to keep her on track, she worked her way to the one underneath the castle, carefully exiting it, and knowing that if the weather kept up, she would have to find another way out.

She took a good look around. She was right by the steps outside of the castle. She noticed that the other drain exits appeared to be welded shut; they must be expecting an attack soon. But this one wasn't but it did have a tripwire along the edges. It must be an escape route, and once she was undercover, she marked it on her map, specifying the tripwire. It was a gunpowder alarm, really, meant to give a loud crack when the lid was pushed off. But the rain had soaked it, and even if it had gone off it wouldn't have been heard.

She nimbly began to climb up a waterspout, leading her up to the roof. So far, there were no sentries, ho arrogant. But traps there were plenty, and she marked down each one, carefully avoiding setting any of them off. she climbed to next level encountering her first sentry. It was a Hyuuga, scanning the distance for enemies. She knew that when they used the byakugan like that, they were blind to anything behind them, unlike when they used the byakugan for battle. She skirted him, and then crept inside. There were no traps this time, but there were a few cameras. She carefully avoided them, and then snuck into the ventilation system. She paused to mark down the cameras, and then moved on. Most of the rebels must be asleep, which was understandable, it was one in the morning.

Her vent ended in an office full of filing cabinets. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, she cautiously entered the room. They were locked, but it was child's play to open them, and she popped the first lock. The files inside had unusual labels, ranging from everything from names of ninja to supply lists. She thumbed through a few, then realized that she had hit the jackpot. She opened her pack, and then began to fill it up, repeating the process for each additional filling cabinet. When she ran out of room she took out her supplies and arranged them in her pocket, and began to fold the papers, trying to fit as many in as possible. She sorted through the real from the fake, important and trivial, packing the rejects back in the cabinets.

Finished, she stood up. This dark and dank castle was kind of spooky, and a maze. Seeing an odd glow coming from the adjacent room, she carefully peeked through the window. It was the security room, and the guy on watch had his back to her. She carefully loaded a gauze pad with chloroform, and crept up behind him. She swiftly covered his face with pad, wrapping her legs around him to prevent herself from being thrown off. She was keenly aware that if he got loose, she was as good as dead, so she held on until he passed out. Fortunately it didn't take long, and she shut down the cameras, just in case. She left the room.

There was no way for her to use the ventilation system anymore; her pack was too big to squeeze through. so she made her way to the bottom floor, thankful that everyone appeared to be asleep. Exiting the caste, she came upon a horrifying discovery. Standing over her storm drain cover was Neji, and he seemed to have found the broken string from the tripwire. She didn't have much time, any second he would use his byakugan, and find her. She trembled, but decided to make a bold move. She filled two syringes with the drugs, ironically, the same ones he had injected her with nearly a month ago. She tapped the sides lightly, making sure there were no bubbles. Her target was his jugular, which would spread the drugs throughout his system swiftly, knocking him out in seconds.

She launched herself at his back, taking him by surprise, stabbing the needles into his neck. He gave a grunt of pain, but the noise was swiftly swallowed by the pouring rain and thunder. After injecting him, she pulled them out and let him go. He staggered, turned around, a look of surprise on his face. He then collapsed. She put the restraints on him, and then looked at her storm drain. It was flooded, and there was no way to get through. She would have to take the long way back. Crud. She carefully began to drag her fallen cousin back to the hotel. It was hard, and it took forever, but she made it.

Just as she was going to knock, the door opened, revealing a very pissed off Gaara. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear. _How does he do that?_

"You!" she was hauled off her feet by her shoulders, slamming her against the wall, her pack falling to the floor.

"I'll kill you, you little-"fortunately, Sasori had alerted the others, and Itachi, Kisame and Deidara were helping him pull Gaara off her, with great difficulty, while Kimimaru and Kabuto tried to pull her away. Orochimaru was pushing himself between her and Gaara. When he was finally off, Orochimaru grabbed her and hustled her to the room.

"Stay in here until it's safe, he's very, very angry at you right now. We're trying to calm him down, your pack will be brought in momentarily." He left to go help the others; Gaara's yelling was all too audible. after an hour, things quieted down, and she looked at the clock. It said five-thirty. She tried to go to sleep, but was unsuccessful.

Sasori grunted as he hefted the pack, trying to figure out how she had managed to carry it and drag the Hyuuga all the way here. They had him bound and gagged, ready for Gaara to interrogate once he had calmed down enough so that he didn't kill him. It was eight now, and he carefully unlatched the door, hoping he didn't wake her up. She was already awake, though, and she walked over on unsteady feet, tugging at the pack.

"Go back to bed, it will still be here, now now, stop tugging, I can manage, now- what the hell?" she had managed to unzip it, revealing the files. She pushed the pack to him. One look was exchanged, then he took the pack back into the common area.

"whoa! You mean that little guppy not only knocked out that shithead, she also broke into the castle?! None of us were able to do that!"

"Yeah, these files look important, help me comb through them, guys. Her life probably depends on it."

"these are all important, looks like she already weeded out the garbage, how clever and considerate," Itachi remarked.

"who knew a mouse could be so daring, eh, Kabuto?"

"Yes, Orochimaru sama, look, she even marked down traps and sentry locations on the map."

"She is not a mouse! She is a delightful humming bird! And she kicks ass, un!"

"She certainly showed her cousin a thing or two, didn't she?"

"Yep, Kimimaru, my guppy's growing up. Makes me sad." Kisame made an exaggerated sniffle.

Gaara glared angrily at the door, not satisfied with the files, instead focusing on her blatant disobedience, and working on a way to fix the problem, permanently.


	10. Chapter 10

Author note: yeah, I know I made Gaara really mean last chapter, but it will get better, I promise. This chapter is the battle scene! Who doesn't like a battle scene? Have fun!

Chapter Ten

It wasn't that hard to develop a strategy after examining the files. After her latest stunt, Gaara had made a long chain out of sand that wrapped around Hinata's ankle, preventing her from leaving the room. It reached only to the bathroom, no further. It was unnecessary, she was now far too sick to do anything, the weather had been hard on her lungs, and the storm drain probably had some nasty little germ in it that had gotten to her. She was running a fever, and her adopted "brothers" fussed and fretted, trying to keep it down. Gaara was no help; he barely went into the room at all. Oddly enough, these were the least of her worries.

Kabuto had grown jealous of her, more specifically the attention that Orochimaru lavished on her. Orochimaru was more curious than anything, and was trying to figure out how one so weak could do the things that she did. He liked her, and was hoping to seduce her away from Gaara, now that any trust that she had in him was gone. He wanted to know everything about her kekie genkai, her bloodline trait, but it was difficult because of her illness and her pronounced dislike of him. Not to mention the others' overwhelming protective presence. There was another, more pressing concern for him, though.

There was a chance that Gaara still harbored some affection for her, but, knowing him, it wouldn't show unless something drastic happened, like her death. Her death was entirely possible at this point, but if it was natural causes, he was in the clear. But, if she should be killed, then Gaara might just take it out on him, which would result in his death, not something he wanted. But he couldn't afford to alienate anyone, even Kabuto, until the operation was complete. So he watched and waited.

Kabuto was actually in the room with her, contemplating how easy it was to kill her. Not only had she taken Orochimaru's attention away from him, she had made him look like a fool, doing what he should have been doing, getting all of the glory, while he was humiliated. Never mind Gaara's response, he was always pissy anyways, but all of the others, even Kimimaru, were impressed. He would have thought that Kimimaru would understand, but no, he was on her side. Of course he was, his position wasn't threatened by the little bitch, now was it.

"Get out; you have no business in here." Sasori had busted him, as usual.

"I just wanted to see how she was doing, no need to be angry." Kabuto was no fool, he knew better than to tangle with one of the former Akatasuki. Eventually, he knew, she would be left unguarded, and then he would make his move. Such were his thoughts as he retreated.

Sasori went over to the bed. She was stuck in that half awake, half asleep state. She never slept, not completely, and it left her body drained. She also hardly ate, and he wasn't sure if it was due to heartache or illness, it was hard to tell. She had changed drastically ever since her last encounter with Gaara, it seemed that she had gathered a layer of dust. Her once navy hair had faded into flat black, lavender eyes turned grey and dull. Her skin, which had once been like sweet cream had the color of chalk. Her depression had altered her mental state as well. She took no interest in her surroundings, unlike before, when, although confined to bed, she would look out the window, or read, or think of creative ways of getting loose. She used to scribble all sorts of questions, a seemingly endless number of them, on a notepad, wanting to know anything and everything.

Not anymore, she left the curtains closed, and, as far as he could tell, did nothing. He knew some of it had to do with illness, but not all. And he knew where the rest of it was coming from. She was heartbroken.

He tried to get her to eat some soup, but was unsuccessful. He sighed and left the bowl on the stand by her bed. He spoke to her, telling that they would soon be attacking the castle, and after everything was done that they could all go home. He doubted that she heard him, but he told her anyways. After giving her her medicine, he tucked her in and left the room.

"You waste too much time coddling that little rodent, time that should be spent preparing for the attack. We leave in three hours."

"Gaara, she needs food and medicine-"

"She can get it herself."

"You have her chained to the bed, and she's too weak to stand for long periods."

"She should have thought of that before she decided to disobey me. She's a burden, and that's why I wanted her to stay in Suna!"

"Sasori, I need to speak with you," Itachi motioned for him.

"What, can't you see I'm-"

"Stop pissing him off, we need to be able to work together for this operation, save your arguments until it's done. By then, maybe he'll have blown off some steam." Itachi's voice was soft, so as to not disturb the others, especially Gaara.

"Time to go, I'm sick of this place." With that, Gaara led them to the castle.

The plan was perfect, and they captured many of the enemy. Gaara had opted for a direct approach, wanting to take advantage of the fact that the rebel's escape rout was still flooded, therefore, unable to be used. Gaara had gleefully slaughtered the enemy, ripping off limbs, crushing bodies, and slicing off heads. He also destroyed the castle, and the maze of stone surrounding it, leaving no where for the rebels to run or to hide. It quickly became apparent to the others that if they wanted to take anyone alive, then they had better do it. They found Gaara battling Jiraiya, just in time to save the pervert from being shredded. They drugged all of the prisoners, so they could no longer use chakra. Gaara had slaughtered half of the Hyuuga clan outright; the other half was to be dragged to Suna to face execution. Hiashi and Hanabi were among the prisoners, Hiashi with a badly mangled arm, courtesy of Gaara. Hiashi had found out the hard way that sneak attacks don't work on Gaara, who had taken great pleasure in breaking his arm. Hanabi had been caught by Kisame, who remarked that she was the meanest little bitch that he had ever met.

After the attack, a message was sent for reinforcements from Suna, they were going to bring back the prisoners in an armed caravan. Gaara's massive black warhorse was also brought along, mostly because he was giving the stable hands fits. All in all, it was a good weak. Gaara had calmed down, for the most part, and the others had relaxed. Except for Hinata. If Gaara came into the room, she tried to hide, or at least avoid his gaze. He would either glare at her or ignore her, depending on his mood. Sasori had prudently removed all sharp objects from her reach. She was too weak to hang herself with anything, so he didn't bother with that. Any attempts to tell Gaara of his fears were met with cold disdain for the girl, and eventually he gave up. It wasn't until they began the journey home that things began to change.

Hinata was forced to share Gaara's tent with him, he had forbidden her from any other. The days were back to normal, meaning hot as hell. The trip to Tanzuka had been abnormally cool, only reaching one hundred degrees. Such good luck didn't last, and the temperatures could easily reach one hundred thirty. The sands were hot enough to cook an egg or even meat. So the desert people did the most logical thing that they could do. They traveled at night, from sunset to just an hour after sunrise. Then they set up camp, and slept in their tents. Gaara rode his stallion far ahead, Hinata was forced to walk. She refused any attempts to help her, and kept up with the caravan easily enough, though she was so exhausted when they finally stopped that she collapsed on her bed roll. But she couldn't sleep, Gaara's presence terrified her too much, and she didn't trust him not to harm her if she was to sleep. He usually ignored her though, and it was like rubbing salt in her wounds.

Four days into the trip, though, he had noticed something. She was different, and not the good different. He was puzzling this, and kept wondering if the pneumonia was more serious than he thought. Shizune had said that as long as they kept an eye on her and she took her medicine, she wouldn't need to be hospitalized. Was she mistaken? No, something else was at play here. She seemed to be losing weight, but they had given her rations, and it wasn't like they were running nonstop, in fact, they were going slower than the first time. Caravans always took longer to travel; it was a pain in the ass.

**You are such a dumb ass.**

_What the hell- why are you talking to me? And how can you call me a dumb ass, you're the biggest idiot I know!_

_**Because you are! You've been giving the girl hell for over a weak now, did it ever occur to you that you might be blowing things just a little out of proportion?**_

_She disobeyed me, I have every right to be angry, and I'm not starving her, so why-_

_**Not directly. Think. When was the last time you were able to be within thirty feet of her without her shaking? When was the last time she made eye contact with you? No wait, that wasn't a good one, she's kinda shy, so how about this: when was the last time she smiled?**_

_…She's sick, of course she's not going to smile, and her shaking is because of fever. _

_**It's out of fear, and you know it. She's changed, you can see her pain if you would just take a good look at her, but you won't will you, your silly pride means more to you than she does.**_

_Shut up! You're lying to me just because you're-_

_**What, jealous? You think this is about jealousy? It's not, you moron, it's about you losing her! You don't believe me, go try and touch her, like you used to. Lie down beside her, or pull her on your lap, if you can. See what happens. You did it all the time at home, so try it now, if she's normal in her reaction, then I'm wrong and you can do you're little happy dance of victory. **_

_I don't dance…_

_**It was a figure of speech, shit head. Do you smell that? It's fear.**_

_The prisoners-_

_**Not just them, Gaara, it's her too. The others have been trying to tell you too. Speaking of prisoners, you are aware that you wouldn't have half of them if Hinata had done as you said. She deserves part credit, all those files she brought you, not even a thank you. Oh, and you broke your promise.**_

_What are you talking about, you overgrown-_

_**You promised her that you would never hurt her, remember? When Shizune came for the first time, when you found her on your balcony? Or rather, wedged behind the pipe beside your balcony? Hey, why do you have a pipe there, anyway? Aren't they supposed to be inside a wall or something? Anyways, you broke two promises; actually, you also promised her that you would never be like her father, now didn't you? Take a look in the mirror, boy, and your hair is starting to turn black, and your eyes are starting to look awful white to me. **_

_I am not-_

_**Deny it all you want, doesn't change anything, you fucking moron.**_

_Watch your mouth, you little-_

_**Oh, and by the way, one of your little group may be a threat to her, and if it isn't obvious, then you really are a moron, and if you don't care, then you're a moron and your father's reincarnation. See? I can use big words too! Now get off your ass and fix the problem while you still can! Hop to!**_

_I AM NOT MY FATHER!_

_**Prove it. **_

Great, now he had a migraine. What the fuzz butt said, it couldn't be true. Meh, he'll just ask Itachi.

"Hey, Itachi! Do I look like my father?"

"How am I supposed to know, I've never met him!"

"Alright, do I look like Hiashi?"

"What? No! He's a weird, abusive old guy, why the hell would you ask that?!"

"No reason."

"Bullshit, the day you start asking weird questions like that for no particular reason is the day I become a transsexual, or maybe when the world stops spinning, which is just as likely in the next few years, now what's up? You on crack or something?"

"What?! No! I just wanted to know, that's all."

"… Right, ok, well, I'm going to get the others to see if we can get Hinata to eat something. Is that ok with you? You're not going to flip out and start chopping off heads, are you?"

"That's fine," Gaara mumbled distantly, not really paying attention. Itachi walked off to find the others.

"Hey guys, Gaara's cracked," he said when they were all crowded in Sasori's tent. While their tents were all second only to Gaara's in size, any tent seemed small when four grown men sprawled out in it.

"Uh, dude, he's never been sane to begin with, he's a homicidal psycho, remember?"

"I know, Kisame, but he was acting really weird just now, asking if he looked like Hiashi or his father, and for no reason! He just walked up to me and started asking me! Since when does he do that?"

"Whoa, that's really weird, un. Is the world gonna, like, end today or somethin', un?"

"You see that's what I was thinking. Now I'm wondering if I'm going to die, or turn purple, or get magically transformed into a girl."

"Whoa, chick man, that's some scary shit!"

"Yeah, un. I need to find a girl and a guy and go have a threesome if you're gonna start that, un. Go out with a bang, you know, un"

"Kisame, I'm not a chick, Deidara, I don't even want to know."

"Hey guys, can we go feed her now? She's gotta be hungry, she's been living off water for too long."

Gaara spent some time thinking, and then returned to his tent. He peered in at Hinata, who shrank away. He dropped the blanket that separated their two sections, and then went out again, searching for Sasori.

Hinata was just settling back down when she heard a rustle. She looked over cautiously at the blanket. She lunged away in fear, it was Neji. _How did he get loose?!_ She tried to dart around him, seeking a way out, but he tackled her, trying to choke her. She kicked and clawed and bit, which shook him off, and she slid away, almost reaching the entrance. But he dragged her back, and began to choke her with both hands this time. No matter how hard she fought, he didn't seem to feel anything, his rage was too strong, it blocked everything out. She was beginning to lose consciousness…

Gaara couldn't find Sasori, and was mildly irritated at this fact. Then he felt a chill rush down his spine. He spun around, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. But something was wrong. Very wrong, much worse than when he sensed Hinata's departure from home. This was bad. He rushed back to his tent, then saw Neji, and was enraged. He tore him off, lifting him up off the ground, holding him there by a tendril of sand, then he saw her, she was gagging and coughing, she couldn't catch her breath.

He tore through her stuff, looking for her inhaler, only to find it sitting with the rest of her medicine on a portable table. Cradling her, he put it to her mouth, trying to get her to breath. She squirmed; trying to get away, but he finally got it in her mouth. He held her for a few moments, trying to calm her down, but was unsuccessful. Figuring that Neji was the problem, he dragged him outside.

"How did you get loose?!"

"Wouldn't you like to know," he responded smugly. His smirk changed into a grunt of pain as Gaara slid a kunai just under his skin.

"When we get to Suna, I am going to skin you alive; pour salt on you, then let the dogs have at you. If you survive that, you will be drawn and quartered, though I haven't made up my mind on how yet, but," and here he twisted the kunai, "if you continue to annoy me, I'll get…creative, and you don't want that, now do you?" Neji squirmed in pain, his hand was bleeding badly now.

"it was a guy with glasses, he loosened my bonds."

"Hn, too easy, perhaps an incentive to behave from now on, you there! Bring me my handcuffs! You! Stoke the fire!" Gaara pointed to one of the men watching the captives. "round them up! Let's show them how I handle troublemakers." He had them lined up while Gaara used a wagon as a platform. He had Neji held fast by his sand, all but his hands. A torch was handed to him, and he heated the restraints until they glowed red hot.

"Instead of running away, you tried to strangle an innocent girl, who happens to be a member of my clan, what do you say to that?" Gaara commented idly as he made a shell of sand cover his hands.

"She's a traitorous little whore who betrayed her clan and her country! She deserved it!"

"Really? You forget, I saw her after she ran away from your clan, it seems to me that you betrayed her first." He was finished with his hands, and he held the handcuffs open, smirking triumphantly. He closed them tight around Neji's wrists, holding them against the skin and laughing as he screamed in agony. After they had cooled, Gaara threw him by his wrists into the crowd of prisoners.

"There are plenty of restraints for all of you, if you decide to test me. Not all of you will be executed or sold into slavery, many of you will be allowed to continue your work as shinobi, perhaps even rebuild your village, if you behave, that is. I don't want anymore trouble, do as you're told, and you may just survive this. Is there any among you who do not understand? Good, go back to sleep, all of you, dismissed."

Gaara returned to his tent for the umpteenth time that day. Hinata gazed at him with horrified eyes. For the first time, he noticed the bruises on her shoulders, on her arm, the bandages on her legs, and her haunted expression. She cringed away from him, trying to dart around and escape. He caught her around her waist, scooped her up in his arms, and laid her down gently on the bedroll. He then focused an irritated gaze upon the center of his tent, causing the sand to form a little well in the ground. There was a very small spring down there, he knew this from experience. The water wouldn't be safe to drink, the minerals and silt were almost impossible to filter out, but it would cold from being underground. He used his sand to lower a small bucket down, and then hoisted it back up. The water was an icky grayish-brown, and smelled sort of metallic. He soaked a small towel in it, wrung it out, then gently wrapped it around her throat. It was the next best thing to an icepack, and it might help with the swelling. If nothing else, it would cool her fever, at least a little.

"I'm sorry, Little One," it was hard for him to say, but she needed this, and he was sorry, about a lot of things. Sorry for hurting her, sorry for treating her like a prisoner, and sorry for letting Neji and Kabuto slip by his guard.

"Never again, Hinata, never again."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Sorry about the wait, last chapter was the longest one so far, over 7 pages… wow, my fingers ache, so why am I starting another one so soon? I have a scene with an origami frog that I just can't get out of my head. It's ridiculous, but it keeps coming back, so does one with a butterfly… poor Gaara, he's going to be very ooc some times in this chapter. But Hinata will save me by giving him cuddles, while I sneak out the back door…hope he doesn't find me…onwards, friends, onwards…

Gaara understood the situation. She was giving him a second chance, she didn't trust him completely, but she was willing to give him another chance. It was late in the afternoon, and they still had a few hours before they moved on tonight. He had managed to get her to drink some broth, and she was now taking a nap, sort of. He was so bored.

He sighed and glanced around his tent. There was nothing to do. He was just so bored! _Need something to do, need something to do… aha! Paper! I see you paper! You are my prey, you little rectangle of whiteness! Behold, as I stalk you and get ready to pounce; only you can't because I am too stealthy for you, ha ha ha!_ He slowly crept up to the paper. _I have you now, there is nowhere to run or hide, give up and accept defeat, oh? You want to beg for mercy? Go ahead and try, your pleas fall on deaf ears, but perhaps you will amuse me-_

_**Kid! Shut up and pick up the paper already! Jeez, you can be so weird, you know that?**_

More than a little embarrassed, Gaara snatched the paper and went to his portable table. He then proceeded to make a frog out of the paper, all the while congratulating himself on how he was an awesome paper-hunter and killer.

_**You do realize that paper isn't alive, so you can't kill it, right?**_

_Shut up! I'm having fun!_

_**You're creeping me out, freakazoid.**_

_Sadistic sodomy loving asshole!_

_**Pucker up and kiss my ass, on the hole with tongue!**_

_YOU ARE SERIOUSLY FUCKED UP, THAT IS THE SICKEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD! YOU KEEP IT UP AND I'LL LET OROCHIMARU HAVE HIS WICKED WAY WITH YOU!_

_**Oh my God! You wouldn't dare-**_

_I'll make a sand clone and trap you in it! You won't even get any lube or a condom! And I'll pop popcorn and enjoy the show, laughing as you squeal like a little pig! _

_**You sick bastard! What's your problem?! You evil little troll, you can just-**_

_You think I won't?!_

_**…**_

_Thought so, now beat it; I have a frog to make._

Hinata didn't sleep well, she was still frightened, what if Neji came back? What if Gaara reverted back to being angry again? Hearing an odd rustling sound, she peeked between the gaps between the blankets, finding Gaara doing something very unusual with his hands. He suddenly sat up, revealing a paper frog. _What on earth is he doing?_

He carefully tapped the back end, causing it to hop a little. Smirking, he tapped it again, only to send it flying across the room. It struck a string, causing it to come free, which whipped across the room, striking another string holding up a towel over his head. The towel fell on him, covering his head, the string supporting it snapped free, causing the blanket wall to fall, the blankets landing on a dish, flinging the spoon at his head, just as he freed himself from the towel. It landed with a thunk, and then fell to the ground.

"The paper strikes back…" Gaara muttered, and then turned around to see Hinata gazing at him with a mixture of amazement and shock.

"You saw all that?" she gave a hesitant nod. He went over to pick up the frog.

"this is an origami frog, and they are not to be underestimated, here, you can have it, it doesn't like me…" he spent the next hour watching her make the frog jump, making a little target field in the sand. He knew he would have to deal with Kabuto soon, but for now, it was more enjoyable to watch her play with the frog. She seemed to be delighted with it, so much so, that she didn't notice the tan scorpion scuttling towards her.

"Don't move, Hinata, not a muscle." Gaara did, though, and he carefully came around to her side. Suddenly his hand came down, and she jumped away, thinking that he was going to hit her. She was ten feet away from him now.

"You have no idea how lucky you are." He dangled the scorpion by its tale so she could see it. He motioned for her to come over. She came hesitantly, still holding her frog.

"This scorpion is very poisonous, its venom can kill in less than three hours, it is not to be messed with. If you ever see a scorpion, don't touch it, many species in the desert can kill you, alright. I have a feeling I should check for more." The species he had was nocturnal and not active during the heat of the day. Scorpions didn't go after people; they simply wanted a dark place in which to hide in until nightfall. Unfortunately, those dark places were sometimes shoes, or a pile of blankets, or a bedroll, etc., when the creatures felt threatened, they stung and pinched in self defense.

As he searched, he uncovered three more. One was coincidence, three was intent. And the scent on them, it was Kabuto's…

"Hinata, I want you to listen to me very carefully, alright? Good." He motioned her closer, and then whispered in her ear,"Don't trust Kabuto, he was the one who freed Neji so he could come after you, and he put these scorpions in here. He's trying to kill you, but I don't know why. I am going to check your medicine, to make sure it's not poisoned, then I'm going to take you to Sasori, alright? Stay with him until I come for you, I will call you dove, just in case he tries genjutsu, don't come unless I call you dove, alright? Very good."

Gaara gathered and checked the medicine, and then hustled her to Sasori's tent next door. He explained the situation to him, and then left while Sasori got her settled in.

Sasori was very confused, but not surprised at Kabuto's behavior. He had been acting funny ever since she came back with the files. Little weasel, no wait, weasels could be cute, little sewer rat, then. Yeah, he was a smelly sewer rat that needed to be made into a cat toy. And Gaara was the cat.

"Hey, what's that, a frog?" she gave a happy head bob, and Sasori chuckled. She was so cute…

"Guppy! I haven't seen you in ages! What's up, ya little shrimp?"

"Hold it, Kisame! How do we know you're the real Kisame?"

"Uh, cuz it's me?"

"Oh yeah? Tell us something that only the real Kisame would know!"

"Umm, hang on, uh; let's see, hmm, well, oh! I got it! Deidara wears thong underwear!"

"Seriously? Out of all the things you could have picked, you chose that? What's wrong with you?! Innocent ears!" he pointed to Hinata, who wasn't exactly sure what a thong was…

"Whatever, let's play hangman!" and so the rest of their time was spent, hopping the frog and playing hangman.

Elsewhere, Gaara had Orochimaru pinned down; threatening him with the curse mark that Gaara had put on him if he didn't tell him what he was trying to gain by siccing his little lap dog on his poor little Hinata. Kimimaru interrupted him. He knew he had no chance against Gaara, and besides, he kind of liked Hinata, she was nice.

"He was acting alone, Kabuto was jealous that Orochimaru was interested in Hinata. At first, it was just her kekei genkai, but now it is because we are quite taken with her. She is a very attractive little thing, we want to see her healthy and continue to improve her skills. Kabuto also feels threatened; she is already more advanced in the healing arts than he was at her age. If she could use chakra, she could easily take his place."

"Just you remember that she is mine, and I will be the one to train her and to teach her. Is that understood? Good, now, where is that little rat?"

"He was watching over the prisoners last I saw, but that was a few hours ago. Maybe getting some rations?"

Gaara let Orochimaru up, and nodded his thanks to Kimimaru.

"At least one of you two has some sense, Kimimaru. Kabuto should know better, I have no desire for Hinata in a, ah, romantic way."

"It's not like you hide it, you know. Besides, it's wrong to hurt one so pure."

Gaara did catch up to Kabuto; he was stripped of his chakra and joined the prisoners. Gaara hadn't thought of a suitable punishment for him yet, though he was pleased to see Neji edge away from him. He then returned to Hinata, and they packed up their belongings, ready to move. Gaara pulled her up on his horse, and she sat side-saddle as they began their trip back home once more.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey! I'm thinking about starting another story soon! It'll be Gaahina, of course. Get ready for Secretary for a Schizo! I also have a bunch of other stories in my mind, visit my little author page thing and tell me what you think… I need to update that soon. Here's the next chapter!

Chapter Twelve

"So, what are you gonna do to him, un? I wanna know!"

"I don't know yet, Deidara, if I knew, I would be doing it now!"

"I have an idea, un! Let's tie him up, hoist him in the air, spread his legs, and use his balls for punching bags, un! It'll be fun, un!"

"…Sometimes you scare me…"

"Ya got that right, Gaara; wait'll you here the next one he came up with…"

"Sasori, what could possibly be worse than what he just said?!"

"Wait un! I gots a better idea! Tie him down and have him get ass-raped by a dog! The Inuzaka clan has some really big ones; it'll be a blast, un!"

"You just had to ask, didn't you?"

"And here I was just gonna use the rack on him, guess that's out of the question, it seems almost tame by comparison."

"Oh wait, here's another one! Have him drink a bunch of water, then make him pee in the jungle rivers! You see, there's this fish that likes to swim up your penis…"

"Kisame, not you too! What is with you guys and his ass and genitals?!"

"Don't look at Itachi or me; we have no part in this…"

"let's attach electrical clamps to his balls and attach the ends to a battery!" (like the ones you use to charge up a car battery.)

"Put a corkscrew up his ass, un!"

"Nah, Deidara, he'd like that too much, I got it! Let's tie him up and dangle his dick in the jungle river I was talking about earlier, only this time have piranhas have at him!"

"you guys are messed up…there is no way you can give me anymore crap about torturing people! You're worse!"

"But wait, there's more! Let's make him give your brother a blow job, un!"

"Let's not violate my brother, ok? I don't even want to picture that… it's a good thing I don't sleep, because I'd have nightmares about that for a long time…"

"besides, Deidara, he's gay, he'd like that too…OH YEAH! I GOT IT! Let's get this really horny dolphin-"

"NO! I LIKE DOLPHINS, UN! MAKE IT SOMETHING ELSE, LIKE A SEA TURTLE, UN!"

"ok, how about we take these little fiddler crabs, and stuff them up his ass? Wait wait, even better! Jellyfish! Talk about a pain in the ass, right guys?"

"Horny race horse, then pig, then bull, then another horse, then a goat, then maybe dangle his tiny little dick down into a gerbil cage to give him a treat! Wait- birds! Yeah, un they can peck his little pecker-"

"And on that note, I'm leaving. Think I'll go hurl, bye."

"Later Gaara! Let's get a pissed off crab to pinch his balls and then…"

Gaara gratefully left to go pack up the rest of his stuff. After stopping for the day, he had been bouncing around ideas for Kabuto's punishment; he just hasn't been able to find the right one. Sasori had offered several interesting ideas involving an iron maiden, and Itachi had offered up tsukoyomi. (sp?) he was taking both into consideration, but it didn't seem to be enough, then the other two spoke up, things went down hill from there. Orochimaru had been heard muttering something about a violet kimono with flowers; Gaara really didn't want to know about that, either. That guy could be so weird some times!

_**You know, that thing with the dogs has some potential.**_

_Not you too! Think of the dogs, what if they get sick or something?_

_**It still sounds like fun! Besides, we could scrub his ass really good… bet you'd like that, wouldn't you, you little fag! Yes, I can see it now; you would be all over his scrawny ass-**_

_Shut up! I am not a fag! And besides, I thought you were more tolerant-_

_**I am, I just like pissing you off, that's all. I love that little crinkle in your nose when you get angry, it's so cute!  
**_

_Now who's the fag? Actually, with our age difference, wouldn't that make you a pedophile? Sicko._

_**No need to get snippy, hey, when are you gonna get the girl in bed? **_

_You really shouldn't be bringing that up…_

_**I'm just sayin' that she's gonna be healthy soon, and healthy girls tend to get a little frisky, so you should be prepared to satisfy her-**_

_Satisfy her?! She has absolutely no clue about sex! What makes you think that she'll-_

_**Knowledge and hormones aren't the same thing, boy, you know that. Pretty soon, she'll start having urges that she won't understand, and it'll be your job to, ah, help her out. And if you get a little bit of pleasure in the process, well, that's just a bonus.**_

_Shut up! You're treating her like she's some slut that you find in a bar! _

_**She's eighteen, she's already hit puberty! It's natural, stop being such a wuss.**_

_Stop being such a perverted old shit bag!_

_**Fine, I don't need to worry anyway, your hormones will take care of you for me, have fun! Oh, and be gentle the first time, she is a virgin, after all. Smell ya later, shit face!**_

Gaara groaned, and continued to pack. It was near sunset, and if they got a little head start, they could be back in Suna within two days. Suddenly, he saw a big black thing fly in his face, and then an odd tickling sensation as the thing landed on his nose. It was a butterfly. He tried to shoo it away, but it kept coming back to his nose, so he started running, hoping to lose it. No such luck, it followed him, and when he stopped, it landed on his nose again. Damn it, stupid thing, go away, I don't want you, if you keep it up, I will rip off your wings, oh shit, here's Hinata.

Hinata gently touched its abdomen, and it fluttered up and around her head, landing just above her right ear. It fanned its wings slowly, looking like some sort of odd adornment. It had deep red wings with black edges; it was actually sort of pretty. Well, it made her happy, so he would jut leave it alone. She beamed up at him, and he chuckled and mounted his horse, scooping her up and cradling her as it the horse began to trot. The butterfly stayed with her.

"Dude! We could shove an electric eel up his ass!"

"Or a donut! Yeah, and rub the sugar on his sack, then let some ants have at him, un!"

Apparently, they still haven't dropped the subject. Hmm, ants, now there's a possibility…yes, ants would do nicely.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Author note: hey, lucky thirteen! You know, I actually like this number, and when I ran cross country I used to sit in seat thirteen on the busses to all of my meets. When I was an upperclassmen I kicked the underclassmen out of my seat… ah good times. Moving on, hope you like the chapter.

_**Ants? Seriously? Hmm, that does have potential. You gotta have a warm up, though. Branding? The rack? Iron maiden? Pulling up fingernails, you know, something.**_

_I haven't decided yet. I'll need to shut down his chakra system, though, no need for him to ruin all of my hard work…maybe I'll carve something into his skin, tan the hide, and use it as a trophy…nah, save that for the Hyuuga's._

_**How are we gonna bait the ants? I don't think he'd be worth all of the honey it'd take, and stringing him across an agitated ant hill has it's risks for the people involved…put grease on him?**_

_I could take two polls, tie a rope between them towards the top, and then sort of lower him with a different rope…_

_**Sounds complicated, what if the ants scurry up the rope to the person who's holding it?**_

_Ok, tie him to one pole, then just set it across the nest, then run like hell, you see, we'd have a really long pole and approach from the side, we should be outta there before the ants can reach us, I have nothing to worry about, but my partner had better be quick…maybe I'll ask Itachi, he can move when he needs to._

_**Yeah, maybe, but what about the warm up? How about sticking pins in his eyes? Yeah, and then maybe cutting out his tongue? Breaking his fingers? Breaking his jaw? Smashing his feet? Yanking off his toes? C'mon, ya gotta give me somethin'!**_

_I haven't decided, maybe I'll just suspend him from hooks in the ceiling for a few days, I have other people to torture, you know, Kabuto isn't the only one._

_**Yes, Neji, and the rest of that clan of leaches. Mmm, I'm looking forward to that…perhaps I will get to have some fun too?**_

_Maybe, Shukaku, maybe, what the hell is Orochimaru doing?_

_**I think he's modeling a women's kimono…looks like he finally came out of the closet. That guy gives me the willies, you know that right? I mean, he's always checking you out. Very creepy…**_

_Yeah, oh crap, there's the punk, Sasuke._

_**Don't you mean Sasugay, the chicken ass? **_

_Heheh, good one, how about Orochimaru's lapdog? That describes him quite well…_

_**He's more like Orochimaru's bitch, he even takes it like one, with his butt up high in the air, I bet he even sounds like one in the sack…**_

_Heheheh, he probably begs for it like a dog too, you know, front paws in the air, whimpering, the works. Sits on command, too._

_**Speak boy! Good doggy, now roll over! Now that's a good boy! **_

_Shake boy! Now, hold really still while I balance this milk bone on your nose…_

_**Go get your leash so we can go for a walk! Good boy! Now fetch!**_

"Hey, Gaara, what are you laughing at? You're doing that really creepy, homicidal laugh that you do when you torture people…"

"Oh, nothing, Kisame, nothing at all…"

_**Great Scott! They're on to us, bucky, better be careful; they might set the poodle loose!**_

At this Gaara cracked up, startling Hinata, and almost falling off the horse. But he righted himself, and reassured her that he wasn't insane, not really, anyway…

_**This coming from the kid who talks to himself…**_

_Oh, shut up! You're not helping! _

_**Well, at least when you bark you give a good one, poodles just yip…**_

_Yeah, and nip at your heels…_

"ITACHI!!! I WILL KILL YOU AND AVENGE MY CLAN!!!"

"Oh, great, not this again…"

"PREPARE TO DIE, YOU MURDURING BASTARD!!!"

"You know, you keep saying that you're going to kill me, yet you never do…"

"Hey, wait, un, we gotta unpack for the day, then you can go at it, un."

"FINE, BUT YOU WILL DIE TODAY ITACHI!!!"

They unpacked, not able to quite make it to the village due to someone spooking some of the camels, making them take off running. They had lost about three hours of travel just chasing the damn things, not counting the time it took to reload them, get them harnessed, get the prisoners back on their feet, etc.

Gaara was still a little irritated at the delay, but as he came around the thorny, bush-tree that was at the edge of the campsite, he was immediately puzzled, and vaguely disturbed, at the sight that greeted him. Sasuke was sitting on an anthill, and, consequently, was making all sorts of funky faces.

"You do realize that you are sitting on an anthill, right?"

"Yes, and I will beat his record!"

"There's a record for sitting on an anthill?"

"Itachi set it, and I will crush it! It is a preview as to what's coming to him!"

"Okay…well, good luck with that."

_**Sheesh, what a nut job…**_

_You said it…_

_**Did it ever even cross his mind that his brother would have to be incredibly stupid to set a record for sitting on an anthill? Or that he is even stupider for trying to break it?**_

_I don't think it did…I also don't ever remember Itachi ever sitting on an anthill._

"Hey Gaara, un! Is he still sitting there?!"

"you mean you know?"

"Yeah, un! I was the one who told him about Itachi setting the record, un!"

"But Itachi never set a record…"

"Yeah, I know, un. But he bought it, un!"

"Wow, that has to be the stupidest thing I've ever seen someone do…how long has he been sitting there?"

"Oh, about twenty minutes or so, un"

"What's the 'record'?"

"I told him forty minutes, un."

"if he stays there for over forty minutes, then he deserves a monument to stupidity, he's lucky that those aren't carnivorous ants…"

"Heh, bet his ass'll be all swelled up, un."

"You sound so cheerful."

"I have a hidden camera up there, un. I've got it all on tape, that way; he can't deny it, un!"

"Nice one, be sure to make me a copy."

"Sure thing, un!"

Gaara left and went into his tent, where he shared a light meal with Hinata, who then went to take a nap. Having nothing better to do, he lay down beside her, cuddling her, and was thankful that she was intelligent, and that she knew better than to sit on an anthill.

"Hey, Sasuke, what the hell are you doing?"

"WHAT ITACHI?! ARE YOU JEALOUS THAT I BROKE YOUR RECORD? NOW YOU'LL HAVE TO SIT ON AN ANTHILL FOR OVER AN HOUR TO BREAK MINE! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"What record?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT RECORD' YOU SET THE ORIGINAL ONE!"

"No, I'm not dumb enough to sit on an anthill…"

"WHAT?!"

_**I never knew anyone could be that stupid!**_

_Agreed._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Has anyone noticed how short makes the chapters seem? On Microsoft word, my shortest one is anywhere from three to three and a half pages, yet it looks so short on I actually feel sort of cheated…and it makes me wonder at the people who have the really long chapters, how can they do that? Don't their fingers cramp? Man, I actually admire those people…and I can understand why it can take so long to update…or maybe they just hit a brick wall. Ok, I'm done with this note, read and review, please.

"Dude, I still can't believe your brother fell for that…everyone knows better than to listen to Deidara."

"Well, nothing I can do about it. I'm still trying to get over how weird he and Kisame are, it's like they have a split personality, when they fight, they're completely different."

"yeah, especially Deidara…oh well, they don't even begin to compare to the old snake, you did see that he was ordering a purple kimono, right? He can't even claim that it's a man's, I saw the paper, it's a women's design!"

"Hmph, that's even weirder than usual."

"Not really, his previous body was a girl's"

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Yeah, then it got really beat up, so he had to switch. They say he's after your little brother's next, but I think he's just after Sasuke's _body_, if you know what I mean."

"As disturbing as that is, I do know what you mean. I'm not even sure I _want_ to know what the kimono is for."

"Role playing?"

"Creepy."

"Yeah, but Gaara can still be scarier, am I right or what?"

"Yeah, but at least he's not a weird pedophile who cross-dresses in his spare time."

"Ain't that the truth. We also don't need to worry about him drugging us so that he can make us his bitches, and that is what enables me to sleep at night."

"Yep."

"So, what do you think about Hinata? Do you like her or not? It's kinda hard to tell sometimes…"

"She's nice, I feel sorta, I don't know, brotherly toward her."

"Not the same as Sasuke, right?"

"Right. Hey, Gaara hasn't told you what he's gonna do to Kabuto yet, has he? Cuz I really wanna know…"

"I was just thinking about asking you the same thing."

"Damn."

"Heh, speaking of which, look who's headed our way."

"What are you guys doing?"

"Wondering what you're gonna do to Kabuto, why?"

"Hn, that's nice, Itachi, I need to ask a favor of you."

"Ok, what?"

"would you be willing to assist me in feeding him to some carnivorous ants?"

"Sure, sounds interesting, could take hours for them to finish him off, you willing to wait that long?"

"Yeah, I'm going to bring popcorn, just in case I get hungry."

"I was talking about leaving Hinata alone for that long. She might decide to follow you again, and I don't think she needs to see another torture scene."

"Mmm, I already thought of that. I am going to have her study and take her level one written exam on botanical medicine. She seems to be pretty far along in her studies, especially when it comes to plants and chemicals. She will make a great medic, especially when she gets her chakra back."

"Whoa, she's gonna be able to use chakra after all of that? Her system was shredded; I didn't think it would ever be possible…"

"Yes, Sasori, I spoke to Shizune about it. She will need some intensive therapy, but, if all goes well, she will be able to use it without too much difficulty in about six months to a year."

"that's really good, it's nice to get good news for a change, she should also receive training as a Suna geisha, if she's going to follow you everywhere, you know? It would really help her and you out."

"I'll ask her first, I don't want to put too much on her plate, and her training will have to wait until she gets back to a healthy weight and her lungs clear up. After that, she's got to have surgery for her heart, and I'm not sure how long it will take her to recover from that…"

"Yeah, but still! She's getting better! And she kicks ass! And she's cute, and sweet, and smart, and she scares Kisame, so she can make it! She's tough!"

"You are really hyper…did you drink another pack of energy drinks? Or anything else that has a lot of caffeine?"

"Maybe a little…but good news about Hinata makes me hyper anyway…"

"It's sort of scary, you know? Anyways, I've gotta go send a messenger up ahead so they can prepare for our arrival. See ya in a bit."

Gaara walked off to find said messenger. It was dusk, and they would be moving soon. Hinata was over by where Gaara's tent used to be, petting his horse, which had come to like her. He liked her so much that he often nuzzled her hand to keep her petting him, which was really strange, considering that he didn't like anyone else but his master. Sasuke had tried to ride him once, but he didn't even reach the saddle before the stallion had kicked him in the gut, sending him flying into a manure pile. Many people, Sasuke included, thought that the horse had done it on purpose, but no one knew for sure.

"Psst, Sasori! Come over here!" he turned to see Orochimaru waving at him like the nut that he is. He rolled his eyes and walked over.

"What do you want? Are you desperate because two of your little bitches are out of commission, one with a swollen ass, and the other in chains? Your not getting me to replace one of them, so don't bother."

"No! well, yes, I am feeling rather lonely, but that's not why I need you. Can you get the other three and meet Kimimaru and myself later tonight after we get back? We should be rolling into the village at about eight, right?"

"Yeah, and we won't actually get home until three or four, because we need to process the prisoners and the stuff we salvaged from the castle, then write up our reports, unpack, shower, and go to bed. We'll be lucky to get in bed by seven, why the hell do you want to stay up later?"

"Well, you see, it's about Hinata. I want to order her some kimonos and dresses, she's just too lovely not to, you see, but I need help picking out the colors. I know that one has to be a violet color, but I need help with the others, do you think Gaara would want to help, or should we just surprise him? She can't know, it has to be a surprise, like a late birthday gift, or something."

"Since when do you do anything nice for anyone else? You make me suspicious…"

"oh come on! I can be nice…"

"Yeah, like how a pedophile offers a little kid candy right before-"

"oh don't be silly! She's a girl!"

"You know what? As disturbing as that is, it oddly sort of reassures me…but I still don't think your motives are pure…"

"all right fine, it helps get me out of the dog house with Gaara- I'm always on thin ice with him, it seems- and I want to do an in your face to Hiashi, he was always a dick to me when I was a leaf shinobi, and for no reason! He always thought he was so superior, and I figure since he thinks so little of his lovely daughter, what better way to get to him than to make him grovel at her feet while Gaara is sentencing him to death?"

"You know, as twisted as that is, that sounds like a good idea. We're gonna have to talk to the others and Gaara about it, though."

"so you're with me?"

"For once, yeah. Now I know the world is coming to an end."

"Excellent! Ok then, tomorrow night then? Cuz no one's gonna be awake tonight…" he clapped his hands in glee. No more sugar and caffeine for him, either.

"Yeah, sounds good. See you around."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Hey, not as many reviews this time, so please, my loyal readers, let me know that you are still reading my story! This chapter is going to be more serious than the last few, and possibly more graphic. You will all soon learn Neji and Kabuto's fate. Yeah, by the way, in case you guys haven't noticed, Orochimaru is no longer trying to seduce Hinata, mainly because he doesn't want to cross Gaara. Who in their right mind would? Kimimaru likes Hinata, who pretty much likes everyone in her new clan. Oh, and I have nothing against gay people, Shukaku just strikes me as a lovable asshole, you know the type, I'm sure. Onwards, people!

Finally, they were back. He thought they would never get back, they were taking so long. His work wasn't even done yet, though, and that totally sucked. Hinata was safe and sound, having taken a shower and gone to bed. Lucky girl, he wasn't going to be able to shower until three in the morning, and that was the earliest. He still had to process all of the prisoners. He had to decide which ones to question, which to execute, and which could be safely restored as ninja. The Nara and Akamichi clans showed promise in the latter category, having been against the war in the first place.

Gaara groaned and rubbed his temples. In a seemingly never ending single file line, the prisoners were trudging in to be sorted. All Hyuuga's had been immediately pulled aside for interrogation and trial, which would end with their executions. No loss there. But all of the others still needed to be individually sorted. What a pain in the ass.

"Name?"

"Rock Lee."

"Rank?"

"Chuunin."

"Are you willing to cooperate with us, or do we have to force you?"

"My youthful conqueror, that depends on your youthfulness!"

"…okay…I'm going to send you to section b, rations will be delivered to you shortly, and you will be able to shower tomorrow, dismissed, next!" the next person in line came up to his desk.

"Name?"

"Uh, duh! I'm Sakura Haruno!" Great, a smart aleckey little bitch.

"I would show a little more respect if I were you. Rank?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Then I suppose it's safe to say that you aren't going to cooperate?"

"Well, duh! Like I would ever help a monster like you!"

Gaara swiftly backhanded her, hard. She was knocked to the floor, actually bouncing several times. He loomed over her.

"Listen, you little bitch, you may have gotten away with that crap in your village, but you are in my land now, and here, I am in charge. You will either show me the proper respect, or you will keep your mouth shut, otherwise, I'll pike your head out by the gates, is that in any way unclear? Good, now, get to section a, next!" she limped away.

"Name?"

"I am Chouji Akamichi!"

"Rank?"

"Chuunin!"

"My, you're certainly excited, are you willing to cooperate?"

"Sure, so long as it's reasonable."

"Excellent, section c, rations will be delivered shortly, shower tomorrow, next."

"Hey handsome."

"Name?"

"Ino Yamanaka, but you can call me whatever you want, cutie."

"You do not know me, so try to be more formal, rank?"

"Chuunin, you know what? You need to relax, I could give you a great massage, you know…"

"Absolutely not, section a, next!"

"Man, this is so troublesome, the name's Shikamaru Nara, I'm a jonin, and will cooperate so long as it's not too much work, can I go now?"

"Heh, that was quick, section c, food will arrive shortly, shower tomorrow, next."

"Yo! Can I keep Akamaru?"

"So long as he's given an injection to stop him from using chakra, name?"

"Kiba Inozuka! I'm a jonin, and what do you mean by cooperating?"

"Are you willing to answer questions and possible be a shinobi of the sand? I'll explain more tomorrow."

"Uh, okay, as long as you don't hurt Akamaru."

"Section c, then, rations for you and your dog will be delivered shortly, shower tomorrow, next!"

"What's the difference between the sections?"

"That will be explained later, name?"

"Shino Aburame."

"Rank?"

"Jonin."

"Are you willing to cooperate?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Section b, rations will arrive soon, shower tomorrow, next!"

"What have you done with Neji?!"

"You should worry about yourself, name?"

"It's Tenten, you evil-"

"Do I have to hit you too?"

"What kind of man hits a lady?"

"What kind of lady asks for it? Rank?"

"Jonin, you foul-"

"Shut up before I tear out your tongue, section a, now get going!"

She hustled over to her section, eager to leave the horrible monstrosity behind.

"I am Kakashi Hatake, I'm a jonin, and I don't feel like telling you if I'm going to cooperate or not."

"Fine, section b, rations shortly, shower tomorrow, next!"

"I am Asuma; my answer is the same as Kakashi's."

"Section b, you know the drill, next!"

"Kurunai, same as Asuma."

"Same drill as him, then, next!"

"I am the youthfully mighty Gai! I will observe you closely, to decide on the most youthful course of action! I will amaze you at my youthfulness!"

"You amaze me at how psychotic you are, section b, etcetera, next!"

"I am Naruto Uzamaki, and I love ramen! Believe it!"

"Believe what?"

"You know, it! You gotta know it!"

"Well, and here I thought I was finished with the crazies finally, apparently, I was wrong, what rank are you?"

"I am the Ramenkage! But the rest is a secret, believe it!"

"Believe what? What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about how you must believe it, so believe it!"

"Believe what- you know what, never mind. Are you willing to cooperate?"

"Not until you believe it!"

"Oh for the love of- just get to section a, you nutcase, move it."

"I don't wanna be in section a, all the weird people are there! Believe it!"

"Too bad, you're stuck there, believe it, next!"

"You suck! Believe it!"

"Get going, or you'll never see another bowl of ramen again."

"Man, you are seriously messed up, what kind of guy starves people? You are the evil ramen hater! I will not rest until you believe it! Believe it!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever, now scram!" he trudged off.

This process took forever, but he was eventually done. He had many guards posted at each section, and the rest of his clan had finished sorting through the items that had been seized during the attack. Deidara was in charge of chemicals, Itachi was in charge of coded messages and scrolls, and Kisame was in charge of weapons. Sasori and Orochimaru would be helping him with the more intense questioning; Kimimaru was to team up with Temari and Kankuro to question the others.

Gaara sighed as he sank down beside Hinata. A shower had never felt so good. He never slept, even now that he and Shukaku had reached an agreement. His body simply wouldn't fall asleep. But he could meditate, and he could watch her, so that was exactly what he did, giving a slight smile as she snuggled into his arms.

The next day was no better. Not only were his siblings completely inept at doing paperwork, the prisoners were causing way too much trouble. Section c was easy enough, and so was b, for the most part, but at the end of the day he just wanted to say the hell with it and slaughter a.

"Look, girlie, all I want to know is if Tsunade was with you. Is it so hard to answer with a simple yes or no? No, I don't need to relax, and no, I don't need or want you- back off! Sasori, restrain her!"

And so was Ino restrained. Gaara still couldn't figure out if she was trying to kill him, manipulate him, or if she was just a slut. This is why he hates most of the women he encounters…

"Aw, come on, all of the other guys like to have a pretty girl's attention, so why not you? Are you gay?"

"No, I just don't like you; I'm beginning to wish that I had just snapped your neck back there. You are hardly worth the trouble of keeping you around."

It turned out that she was just a slut looking to get with a noble so her life could be secured. She didn't really have any useful information, either, so she was transferred over to section c. None of the genin were helpful, but a few of the chuunin and jonin had a very interesting story to tell.

The information that was given to them before the war was that Gaara had tried to have Hiashi assassinated, and that he had kidnapped several Hyuuga, tortured them, and then had them executed. They were also misinformed about several other key points, and were only now beginning to realize the full extent of the twisted web that Hiashi wove. And who was responsible for telling them this? Why, none other than another Hyuuga.

"What is your name, Hyuuga?"

"Matsuko, Kazekage sama."

"And why are you just now deciding to cooperate?"

"It is only now that I and my son are safe."

"Perhaps you should start at the beginning."

"Yes, Lord Kazekage sama. The Hyuuga clan is composed of two types of branches, the main branch and the side branches. The Main branches have complete control of the clan, the side branches are little more than servants and guard dogs for them. In order to assure them of unwavering obedience, the main branch brands our foreheads with a curse mark. To outsiders, it is merely an odd decoration, and it they ever find out what it really was, they are told it is used to protect the secret of our bloodline. That is only part of the truth. The whole truth is that the mark is used to punish us for any thing we might have done wrong, no matter how slight. It causes extreme pain, and if activated for too long, it will liquefy our brains, killing us.

"My marriage was an arranged one, as are all of our marriages. My husband was a member of the side branch of the clan, and he died in combat before the war even started. But not before we had a child. My son is to be branded at the age of four, as are all other branch children. I can't let that happen to him."

"As tragic as all of this is, I have no real need of this knowledge at his time. You had ample opportunity to come forward when we were traveling here, why wait? More importantly, why betray your clan?"

"It was impossible for me to come forward during our journey; the other clan members would have killed me, or worse, my son. But I cannot let anymore of my people die because of Hiashi's refusal to admit defeat. He portrayed you as a monster, but he is the real one. At least you have a sense of honor!"

"Go on."

"Hiashi hates his first born, the entire clan does. I wanted to help her, I did, but I was too scared, and too weak. I saw some of the things he did to her. He beat her almost every day. He used the gentle fist on her, and he had Neji help him hold her while her sister used her for target practice, so she could hit her chakra points. The others of the clan were no better. She always tried to run away, but her body wasn't strong enough to take her far, and they always caught her in the end.

"They were so angry when she got away the last time, because they had plans for her. They had drugged her, you see, and had tossed her in the back of a wagon, with only rags to protect her from the heat and cold. They wanted to use her as bait, to try and lure you into a trap. Hiashi has convinced himself that you are a demon, a beast that would be unable to resist virgin flesh. While you were killing her, he planned to kill you. She, however, had other plans.

"Somehow, she had managed to sneak the antidote to the drugs in her system, and she used it to help her escape. I saw her slip her bonds and sneak out, but I didn't say anything. I thought she deserved a fighting chance, even if I was too much of a coward to actually help her. I heard a yell when one of the others saw her running, but neither he nor she ever returned. I am not sure what happened to them, but I can guess. You found them, right?"

"Yes, Hinata is alive, and in my care, but the other has been executed. If you look out the window, you can see his skull piked near the entrance."

"Please, you can do whatever you want to me, but spare my son! He is only a baby, he has done nothing wrong!"

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't kill or maim children; your son is in no danger. However, a baby needs his mother, and if you want to stay and take care of him, you will tell me what you know of Tsunade."

"Hiashi and the clan elders fed her a pack of lies. They said that the girl had attacked him, and that you made up the story of her pregnancy. They also said that the genin that they killed in the village was an assassin, and that they were attacking rogue ninja instead of the trade caravans that were traveling to your village. They told the other shinobi in our village that when you invaded, you were planning on killing everyone, including civilians, women, and children. Those that survived would be sold into slavery. It was easy for them to make you out to be a villain, since you are a jinnchuriki. (sp?) it was even easier when it was found out that you had former akatasuki as members of your clan.

"Tsunade was with us for a while, but she left to find us a new home in the land of waves, hoping that the presence of shinobi would be enticing for the small country. She left only a few days before you defeated us at Tanzuka. For all I know, she is still there. If you tell her the truth, I'm certain she will come around. I've told my tale to others in the group, that is why so many of them are willing to cooperate. Some, however, won't, simply because they can't stand the thought of serving a jinnchuriki, and for that, I am sorry. That is all I know, I swear."

"How interesting, you are actually telling me the truth. I can see it in your eyes. Very well, you may go to group c. I expect you to testify at the trial."

"Trial?"

"Yes, I will be holding a trial for your former clan, after I am finished gathering evidence. Don't worry about the curse mark; it is child's play for me to remove it."

"Y-yes, Lord Kazekage sama."

"Very well then, you are dismissed. I will take care of the mark later, now go."

The woman bowed out of the room. There was truth in her words, Gaara knew, but he needed more than just her word in this trial. He wanted to bury the entire clan in evidence, which was why he had pictured of Hinata's wounds and her medical reports. He smirked in pleasure. At this rate, he would have more than enough for a mass execution of the entire clan. This was going to be fun.

Hiashi _really_ should have backed down when he had the chance.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Aw, thanks ConfusedJelly, that was probably the best review I've had so far. Now I don't feel so bummed about not getting so many reviews for chapter 14. you made me so happy that I did a little happy dance, must be strange, you know, to see a Goth girl spontaneously clap her hands in glee, squeal, then jump up and dance…thank God no one saw me…oh yes, the new Hyuuga isn't a spy, people, she's just looking out for her son. Guess I should start the actual chapter now, huh? Onward, my friends, onward.

"You can just kiss my ass, snake-boy!"

"I would love to, Sasori, because your ass is really cute, nice and toned, it looks so squeezable-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Sheesh, you're worse than Michael Jackson-"

"Hey! Don't even start dissing my role model! He is a man of incredible talent, and his dancing is amazing! Not to mention his taste in clothes-"

"He's a pedophile! And he used to be-never mind, you are obviously a nut case with no sense of style. Hmph, dumb ass."

"I am not a dumb ass! How can you be so cruel? And crude? Really, you need to work on your manners…"

"You have to try harder than that, I'm still not convinced of your cause, moron."

"Why are you so difficult? I just want to help Gaara torture the Hyuugas! I want to dissect them, see what is so special about that precious byakugan-"

"No, you just want to feel up Neji, you pervert. You're not fooling anyone, least of all me, you weirdo. Get lost, and don't ever talk about my ass again!"

"You brought it up; it's not my fault that your ass is so luscious."

"Get lost, before I shove a pole up yours."

"Sounds kinky, will you be using handcuffs and a ball gag?"

"What is your problem?! Gah, I'm going to have nightmares for weeks!"

"Aw, don't deny your feelings, it is so much easier to give in, perhaps you will like to be paddled, you naughty boy?"

"Shut up and get lost!"

"What's going on here? I van here you guys in the interrogation room!"

"Gaara! Orochimaru keeps hitting on me!"

"Only because he likes it, and because he won't let me in on the torture!"

"We've been through this, Orochimaru, you are supposed to be helping Itachi today. You get to help me tomorrow."

"But Itachi's no fun! I want-"

"You heard Gaara! Shut up and get to work!"

Orochimaru slumped in defeat as he trudged off. Sasori sighed in relief while Gaara massaged his temples. Not only did he have to deal with a certain whiney, pink-haired bitch, he had to make sure the runaway pedophile didn't spontaneously ass-rape any of his prisoners. Why didn't he just rent himself a porno while Sasuke healed? Or hit on Kimimaru? He was such a pain…speaking of which, he had to finish with this interview…

In the dark room that served as an interrogation room in the dungeons, there was Pinky, The Whiny Bitch from Hell. He was so glad that Hinata never acted like her, at least she had manners.

"You'll never get anything out of me! Naruto will come and save me!"

"I pity him if he succeeds, then he'll be stuck with a nagging bitch for the rest of his life. What is so hard about this? It's not like I want to hear your life's story, just if you were in close communication with the Hyuugas."

"I'm not gonna tell you anything, you filthy demon! You should just go and rot in hell!"

"Demon, yes, filthy, no. I've taken a shower this morning, unlike you, who hasn't bathed in about two weeks, and I must say, you reek. You smell like an odd combination of B.O. and rotting garbage, uniquely unpleasant, I must say. I should be wearing a gas mask."

"Shut up! At least I'm not some filthy half breed!"

"Actually, I'm full demon, if you must know. If you're going to insult me, try to be accurate."

"Get out! I hate you! You make me sick!"

"The feeling's mutual."

The phone rang, so he got up and left. He really didn't think that she had any useful information, but he couldn't let her go without being sure. Perhaps the sight of a few of his "toys" would make her more reasonable.

"This is Gaara, what do you want?"

"You have a visitor in the front office, Lord Kazekage sama."

"I'll be right up." He hung up, then left.

He was actually in for a pleasant surprise when he reached the first floor. Hinata, now that she was healthy enough to travel around a little, had kindly fixed him a lunch and brought it to him.

_**Aw, she's so cute! You owe her at least a peck on the cheek for this. Ooh, look! Spicy beef and rice, with some fruit on the side! And iced tea! You don't get much better than this, kid, she's a keeper! Better pucker up and start kissing her feet, shit head. **_

_I agree that the lunch is wonderful and she deserves a big thank you, but I'm not kissing her feet, that's just weird. I would ask what's wrong with you, but I already know. You're a kinky sex pervert with a fetish for odd body parts. Shut up so I can enjoy my lunch._

_**You are such a dick, do you know that?**_

_You say that all the time, now scram._

_**Jerk.**_

"Aw, Hinata, you didn't have to do this! But I appreciate it, the cafeteria food scares me sometimes," he bent down to give her a peck on the cheek.

_**He shoots, he scores!**_

_Beat it!_

Hinata was happy to see him, judging from the cute little snuggle she gave him. They then went into an empty lounge to eat. And so, Gaara was in for another pleasant surprise. Hinata was an awesome cook. Not just good, but awesome.

"So, how are your studies coming along? Are you doing alright?" she froze for a second, then gave a slight head bob. She seemed wary, all of a sudden. _Where did that come from?_

"Okay, how about your lungs? Are they still feeling alright?" another positive response.

"Well, that's good, I'm glad you're feeling better. After your surgery, you'll be able to start your chakra therapy, and you'll be able to come with me on trips out in the desert to gather medicinal plants for your collection. It'll be fun, you'll see. You are making excellent progress, you know, much more than we ever hoped for."

A sudden explosion interrupted him, along with several interesting curses. Gaara rolled his eyes, while Hinata looked up in confusion.

"I don't really care what that was, I'm still finishing my lunch. This beef is really good, thanks." She beamed at the compliment.

"What the fuck is your problem?! Don't you know how to handle paper bombs?! You could have blown up the whole lab, you retard, un!"

"I'm sorry, Deidara sama! I didn't realize it was active!'

"Bull shit! You're a chuunin! Even genin know how to handle paper bombs, it's basic crap straight from the academy, un!"

"what's going on here? Deidara, watch your mouth, you are in the front office of the building, where we receive our country's guests, and you! Deidara has a point, handling paper bombs is basic, now take this somewhere else, both of you, you're ruining my lunch!" with that, Gaara slammed the door, and returned his concentration to his very tasty lunch.

It was later that night that Gaara was finally home. He headed straight for the shower, the dried blood of a Hyuuga, or anyone really, could be quite itchy. Ahh, hot water…all too soon he was done. He headed down stairs, while the others were straggling in. he checked the mail. Nothing but bills and junk. He turned just in time to see his little Hinata try to lunge at Kisame for calling her a guppy, again. That always made him chuckle. Her hair was starting to grow out, and he found that he liked it long, such lovely hair should have never been cut so short. It reached her shoulders now. She skipped over and gave him a hug, which he returned. After all, what guy could resist such a lovely girl?

Three days later she was taking her first medical test on herbs. It was extremely long, it would take up most of her day, and the results would be in the next day. Today was also important for Gaara. It was the day that Kabuto was to die. You see, Suna had very few prisons, they were too expensive. Murderers, rapists, and those who committed treason were simply executed a week or so after they were found guilty. Suna simply didn't want to waste the resources on such people. Other criminals were held in camps at night, while they were used to perform hard labor during the day. The system worked out nicely, even if it seemed a little harsh to outsiders. They didn't understand that in the desert, you simply couldn't afford to waste resources on such criminals.

Kabuto had been found guilty of attempted murder, reckless endangerment, aiding an escaped fugitive, treason, conspiracy, and a host of other charges. He was to be fed to a colony of carnivorous ants, the remains to be displayed as a warning to other would be criminals. Gaara was aided by Itachi in bringing him out, while the others escorted them out. Kabuto had been hanging from several barbed hooks for the past few days, now he was bound to a large steel pole. He struggled weakly as he was being carried out, but it was futile. His crimes were read aloud, then his sentence. His struggles become more frenzied as he was dangled mere inches from the ants. Gaara was expecting him to scream, beg for mercy, and to thrash around a bit. Kabuto didn't disappoint.

The instant that they set him down on the nest he was enveloped by angry red ants. The creatures stung and bit every inch of his body, crawling into his nose, mouth, and ears. He struggled for quite some time, screaming in pain and terror, but the ants had their way. Gaara smirked wickedly. He had never lost his bloodlust, not really. He was actually disappointed when Kabuto finally died, the ants must have been pretty hungry. Well, the ants would be having more meals soon, of that Gaara was certain. Even if they were not used for an execution directly, they were wonderful at disposing of the bodies. Oh, yes, the ants would be well fed in the coming months.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Hm, I did spell Kimimaro wrong, maybe it's because most names that end that way are often spelled with a u instead of an o? Since I was not really sure, so I checked my manga and you were right, pwnkage thanks for catching me. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, so here's the next chapter. Shukaku will be playing a major part in the upcoming plot, so it should be very…interesting, yes, that's a good word for it, isn't it? Onwards, my friends, onwards.

It was true, Gaara decided, he was going to need Shukaku's help. He hoped fervently that the old windbag didn't screw anything up. Resigned, he called him forth.

_**Holy crap! You mean you actually **_**want **_**my help?! **_

_Yes, now shut up and make yourself a body out of the sand, we've got work to do._

_**Sweet! I love you!**_

_Shut up now, that's really creepy…_

_**In a platonic, fatherly way, not in snake-ass's way, so don't worry.**_

_Good, you had me worried._

_**That doesn't mean that I won't take pictures of you in the shower and sell them over the internet.**_

_You even try, and I'll castrate you. Then I'll feed your balls to the ants._

_**Sheesh, so violent. Hey, did you see the way that four-eyes started twitching when he was dead? That was hilarious!**_

_It was pretty funny, but you should really come out before I start to rethink this._

_**Sure thing! Hang on a sec!**_

Shukaku could use sand and blood to make himself a body. It was flesh and blood, the real deal, but it would only last a week, then he had to make himself another. It was still fun though, while it lasted, and it functioned like any other body would. He looked very much like Gaara, except for the eyes. Where Gaara had greenish eyes, he had gold. His hair color was different too, Shukaku's mother had blood red hair, and that was how Gaara had inherited the color. Shukaku had an odd mix of sand and black, courtesy of his father. He had passed on his hair type to Gaara, but the color was his mother's, making for a very handsome son, in Shukaku's opinion.

"Well, boy let's get going! I wanna make that prick cry!"

"Just don't screw anything up, okay?"

It was Hiashi's worst nightmare. Not only was he about to be put on trial, he was going to be tortured then executed after it was done! How dare he! That filthy demon had no right-

"Hey, are you Hiashi?"

He turned to see a very strange man in front of him. He was being guarded by the former akatasuki, Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and he could see Gaara walking towards him. This man sort of looked like Gaara, except for the hair and eyes…

"Yo! I'm talking to you, shit face!"

"Yeah, Shukaku, that's the prick who hurt little Hinata, un!"

"All right then, hey you know what, you worthless little pile of shit?! You owe me a kiss!" Hiashi's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull, everyone looked really surprised, even Gaara, and especially Hinata, who had also come to the courthouse. She was a witness, but she really came to face her fear. She had never heard anyone talk like that to her father before.

Shukaku suddenly dropped his pants and shoved his butt in Hiashi's face.

"Pucker up, you dickless bastard! Knowing you, you'll probably like it!" he started grinding his ass in his face, while only muffled grunts could be heard from Hiashi's end. Deidara and Kisame cracked up, while Kimimaro and Itachi looked like they were stuck between amusement and disgust. Orochimaru and Sasori were yelling encouragement, while Sasuke and other people stared in open mouthed shock.

"Shukaku! Pull up your pants! You're scaring people!"

"No, Gaara! Not until he kisses it! Heh, you know what? I'm doing him an honor! Not everyone gets to kiss my ass, you know."

"If you're going to do this, could you at least do it privately? Virgin eyes!" Gaara pointed to a mortified Hinata, who had buried her face in his chest out of shame. Hiashi made several odd sounds, but he seemed to be agreeing with Gaara. Suddenly, Shukaku did the unthinkable. He farted. Everyone save for Gaara, Itachi, and Kimimaro cracked up. Hinata looked up in alarm, only to bury her face in Gaara's chest again.

"Well what do ya know, I was loaded! What the-"

Hiashi had passed out, and the cause was unclear. Was it deadly gas, emotional distress, or just lack of oxygen? Did it really matter? He was still out cold. Hinata was finding it very hard to be afraid of him at the moment.

Despite the fact that the trial had to be delayed for a half hour while someone was sent for smelling salts, it was going pretty well so far. A panel of nine judges had been selected to hear the case, while Gaara presented his case. It was strange, he decided, he was usually the one who was judging cases like this. Strange, but not terribly difficult. He showed them the medical records for Hinata and Asa, and he had more than a few jonin from the village testifying on his behalf, along with a certain turncoat Hyuuga. Defense was going to present their case tomorrow, but Gaara knew that he would shred them on cross. And Hinata's testimony, even if it was written, was irrefutable. Those injuries could not be explained away, no matter what. All in all, a good day.

Gaara began to sift through the mail as the others trudged in his house behind them. He was proud of himself; he had built this house from scratch. He was planning on adding on a large greenhouse for Hinata. There, she could design and plant her own garden, as well as grow medicinal herbs for her use. He knew she would like it. He glanced down at one letter in particular.

"Hinata, your test results are in." she made a mad grab for the letter, which he held teasingly out of her reach. He then opened it, to see the results for himself. She looked at him nervously.

"you've made me proud, these scores are the best scores ever submitted by any village. You even beat Tsunade, well done, my Little One, well done!"

She beamed in response to the praise, while Kisame and Shukaku called for a celebratory drink. Sasori wanted to go to the arcade to celebrate. So that was where they went, Hinata practically floating on air as she skipped along merrily beside Gaara.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Hello, thanks again for all of the reviews. This chapter will be more comical than anything, so be ready for: a perverted Shukaku, dancing Deidara, youthful Lee and Gai, zombies getting their heads blown off, Kisame starting a love affair with Jaws, and Sasori throwing a basket ball at Orochimaru's head! Plus much, much more! Eheheh, sounds like an advertisement, huh? Onwards, my friends, onwards.

"Alright people, remember that we are the royal family in Suna, so try to behave with some measure of dignity and respect. Have fun!" and after hearing Gaara's warning, everyone scattered. Many of the prisoners form sections b and c were now full fledged Suna Shinobi, along with a handful from section a. even Gaara's quartet were there, with Kameko having dyed her hair cobalt blue, with purple cat eyes, pink eye shadow, orange lipstick, a zebra skirt over red pants, a purple blouse, and what appeared to be a variety of safety pins and paper clips hanging from her ears. Asa was in a simple brown skirt and a cream colored short sleeved blouse. Chiko was wearing a short black skirt with fishnet leggings, and a red tube top, mostly to torment Sasori, who had a thing for fishnets. Eviko was in a purple tank and a pair of jean shorts.

Kisame headed straight for the jaws game, in which he played the shark, of course. He loved making the shark eat people, and soon he was cooing sweet nothings at the shark, which made Itachi look over from his Sniper game. Not really surprised at this behavior, he went back to shooting people.

"Ohh, sweet Jaws, you have no idea how I've missed you, see all those fat guys in inner tubes? They're all yours, baby, eat up so you can grow big and strong! That's my sweetums! Oh wait! It's a trap! Dodge the mines, dodge the mines! Noooooo! Don't die on me, my love, you can make it! Oh, wait, I have more tokens, yay!" he popped in a few more tokens, and resumed his courtship of the shark.

"Yeah, that's right, you eat those bastards, yeah, rip off their legs, chew off their arms! Eat the boat, eat the boat! Oh you magnificent being, I want to marry you!" needless to say, this drew odd looks from the surrounding people.

"Dude, un! I need a partner, un! Someone come over and play with me, un!"

"Actually, youthful Deidara, this is the super sized version of the Dance Dance Revolution, you can fit up to four people on it! Might I suggest Gai sensei, Tenten, and myself?"

"Yeah! Lots of dancing, un! Let's go, un!" and so the quartet danced, and Tenten quickly became exhausted, what with the other three doing some pretty funky moves. It didn't take long to replace her, since Gai had challenged Kakashi to a match. He was actually pretty good, and was holding his own until some random drunk girl squeezed his butt. He quickly jumped up and away, landing on Gai, who landed on Deidara. Lee won that match, which made him scream about the fact that the flames of youth will never die. Then Sasuke showed up, and both Naruto and Lee challenged him to a match.

"You loser! You will never beat me at dancing, you can't dance!"

"Oh yeah?! Well, Sasuke, I've got news for you, don't ever underestimate me! I'm gonna kick your butt, believe it!"

"The flame of youth is small within you, I will crush you, and in doing so, I will stoke that tiny flame into a firestorm of youth!"

"That's right, Lee! The power of youth insures your victory!"

And so it began, and it kept going until Gaara called them all over to order their food.

Meanwhile, Sasori was shooting baskets with Shukaku and Chiko. Asa and Eviko cheered them on.

"Hahahahaha! Looks like I'm gonna win puppet-boy!"

"Not this time, fur ball!"

"work it, Sasori, work it! Shake that sexy ass!"

"OROCHIMARU! STOP STARING AT MY ASS!" Sasori threw the basket ball at his head. The timer buzzed, and Shukaku won. This made Sasori angry, so he grabbed a stool and tried to bash Orochimaru's head.

"So, ladies, what does the winner get? Hugs, kisses, maybe a date tomorrow night?"

"sorry Shukaku, the winner has to buy us all drinks."

"Oh Chiko, you know that's not fair. You gals are lucky you're cute, or else I'd never let you get away with this shit."

"you know, if you get us drinks, you might just get a thank you kiss."

"And I'm sold. Be back in a flash!"

Gaara and Hinata were playing House of the Dead, and they had every intention of playing the second one after they beat this one. He was glad to share the joy of killing zombies with her, and watching her clap her hands together in glee after killing a boss was simultaneously cute and hilarious.

"Hey kid! Can I borrow some money?"

"What the hell do you need money for, are you out of tokens? Or are you trying to buy a girl a drink in hopes of getting into her skirt?"

"Actually, I'm hoping to score a threesome with Chiko and Eviko, Chiko promised me a kiss if I get her a drink."

"You will not even think about having sex with them, they are my employees, and they shouldn't have to worry about a perverted fur ball who-"

"Aw, c'mon, kid, how can I not think about a nice roll in the hay with those two luscious things gazing at me? Especially Chiko, did you see those fishnets? Gorgeous legs on that one, what's the harm?"

"Grow up, here's a ten, now get out of my hair. Don't even think about trying to get a free grope."

"You suck, kid, this is only good for two or three drinks at best! What about Asa?"

"You will do the chivalrous thing and give her your drink. Make sure it's safe for the baby. Now get! You're not getting anymore!"

"asshole."

He gave Hinata a kiss on the forehead, mostly to piss off Gaara. It worked, and Gaara scowled and wrapped his arm around her possessively. She snuggled into Gaara and stuck out her tongue at Shukaku, who did the mature thing and stuck out his tongue right back at her. Oh yes, really mature.

Shikamaru and Chouji were busy playing some sort of odd puzzle game. Suddenly, the control stick got stuck, causing Shikamaru to lose.

"Aw man, what a drag! Hey, can someone come over here and fix this? Troublesome people, they won't be getting any tips."

"Uh, Shikamaru, there's another game right beside this one."

"I know Chouji, but they should at least give me a free token or something, aw man, dealing with these people is such a pain I don't know why I bother."

"Uh, because the machine just ate your token? Hey, speaking of which, when are we gonna eat?"

"That token isn't worth the trouble of getting someone. I don't know when we are gonna eat, let's ask Gaara."

Meanwhile, Itachi was getting some interesting attention.

"Aw, c'mon Itachi, loosen up. you need to free your spirit once in a while, ya know? What's wrong with playing a little game of pool with me? You afraid I'm gonna rape you or somethin'?"

"Kameko, you work for Gaara, it would be awkward if we were seen playing a game together."

"May I remind you that we are not in Konoha and that this isn't the Hyuuga clan? You know, I could have asked you to play strip poker instead, and then I'd have made you stand still while I took pictures of you. I know a lot of pretty girls who would fork over some serious dough to see your cute little tush." This caused Itachi to stare at her in shock for several seconds. Kameko smirked wickedly.

"Alright, but only if you promise to not bring up my backside again tonight, Orochimaru might overhear."

"Alright! Loser buys the winner a drink! And I am going to order the most expensive one!" she winked at him, and then sauntered over to the pool table. Itachi almost won, but then he sneezed while shooting for the eight ball, causing Kameko to have a dramatic comeback. She enjoyed her super sized pine colada immensely.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Oh, yes, the nineteenth chapter, you guys know something? Spell check is awesome, but also highly annoying. It keeps wanting to turn Hinata into Piñata, Gaara into Gadara, Kimimaro into Kimmirut, Itachi into Hitachi, Sasori into Sassari, Kabuto into Kaput, Kisame into Kismet, Deidara into Deidra, and other weird names that if you guys want to know about, review me and I will tell you in the next chapter. You know what? I had to type Hinata twice up there just to get that word, I found the accent mark key, I just have no clue as to how to use it. A real pain, really. Onwards, I'm sick of this note already.

"Well, we should really go order our food. Let's go, Hinata, we've got to round up our wayward clan," Gaara was very satisfied, not only had they beaten the game, they had the highest score. Shooting zombies was so much fun; he would have to introduce her to his Resident Evil games. She looked so cute when she shot the brains out of dead people! She gave a happy nod, and they went to find everyone.

They found Kisame crying by the Jaws game.

"M-m-m-my o-o-o-o-o-one t-t-t-t-t-t-t-tr-tr-r-true l-l-lo-lo-love, w-w-w-why d-d-d-did you l-l-l-leave m-m-m-m-m-me-ee-ee-ee?"

"I see that you ran out of tokens. Well, isn't that a shame, get up, we want to order, you can blubber senselessly later." Gaara nudged him with his toe. Kisame was more than a little drunk. He gave a big sniff, and then trudged after Gaara dejectedly.

They found Shukaku trying to sneak a kiss from Chiko, but she kept dodging away. Gaara dragged him off by his ear, while the girls giggled at Shukaku's curses and flailing arms. Who knew that the demon could be so comical? People were beginning to wonder why they were afraid of him in the first place.

Sasori came over and swiftly ushered them over to Dance Dance Revolution. The three bys were still at it; even Deidara had taken a breather. They were all being cheered on by various other people besides the ones already in attendance.

"Oh no, it's Ramenkage!" Hinata looked at Gaara quizzically.

"Dude, what the hell?" Sasori and the girls were very confused, and Shukaku just grinned like a maniac.

"It's that weird guy, Naruto. He said that he was the Ramenkage, and he kept saying 'believe it,' and then he got really pissed when I asked him what it was."

"What was he trying to get you to believe in?"

"I still don't know, but this is what his response was when I asked him to cooperate, and I quote 'not until you believe it,' he's a psycho! When I interrogated him, I had to torture him to get him to talk, and do you know what I had to do to him? I had to tie him up and eat ramen right in front of him!"

"That's it?"

"No, Sasori, that's not it, I had to eat fifteen bowls of the crap, all really slowly and painfully. I honestly think I got the worst of it, I have never been so sick of ramen in my life, and so help me if he orders any tonight…"

Sasuke slipped and fell, losing to Lee and Naruto. Naruto then began to do a funky victory dance, and then began to skip around Sasuke. Lee was still doing his victory dance.

"Hah! Believe it, Sasuke; I just totally kicked your butt! Hah! Nana nana booboo, stick your head in doo doo! I won, you lost, so go and sniff your poo poo!" he began to wiggle his butt in a disturbing manner. Sasuke glared at him.

"You pathetic loser! You know damn well that that was pure luck, so shut up!"

"Oh Sasuke, you can't call him a loser, because we won! The power of youth compels you!"

"Believe it, chicken head!" at this, Gaara felt that he needed to intervene.

"We prefer the term 'duck butt', fox-boy."

"Are you serious?! Holy crap, it could be a duck butt instead of a chicken's, believe it!"

"C'mon, it's time to eat. Hinata is going to get her first taste of pizza today, right?" he stroked her back gently, while she quivered in anticipation. She had pointed to the pizza menu several times when she was sick, but it had been banned from her diet until now, due to the grease and spices. To be fair, Gaara had banned everyone else from eating it, much to Sasori's dismay. But the ban had been lifted, so everyone was happy. The arcade had a variety of food types, most of it buffet style. They even had ramen, so Naruto could stop whining. But they were famous for their pizza. Their pizzas took up five different buffet sections, with the standard cheese, pepperoni, and sausage, to deep dish style, supreme, and other specialty. Or, you could special order your own.

Gaara planned on everyone going to the buffet, but he also planned on ordering a special pizza. After finding Shikamaru, and yelling at his siblings to get their asses over to the arcade or they could go hungry, Gaara ushered everyone into the special party room, where he had already seen Itachi and Kameko. Kameko looked very satisfied with herself, while Itachi looked a little glum. Apparently she had conned him out of another drink. She was the only girl who was able to do that to him, and it made Gaara chuckle.

After Temari and Kankuro arrived, it was time to order. The specialty pizza was a massive, deep dish pizza, with so many toppings that you had no choice but to eat it with a fork. Gaara watched Hinata take her first bite. Her face lit up instantly. He chuckled a bit, and then dug into his own food. Magnificent. Three different cheeses, mushrooms, four different kinds of meat, a rich sauce, just the right amount of garlic…how could it get any better? Oh yes, that's right, pepper seeds. He shook the little dispenser over his piece. (Like the ones at Pizza Hut, which I don't own, just in case anyone wants to gripe.) Gaara rarely ate food prepared by others, but this place was an exception. Asa's uncle worked here, and he was also loyal to Gaara, especially since he stood up for his favorite niece. Her husband would be coming around any minute to join them. Mmmm, this pizza was really good.

After they had eaten their fill, for now, Hinata kicked Kankuro's ass in Mortal Combat. He hadn't even been able to get a single punch in. Temari had busted up laughing, but she didn't fare any better. However, a certain lazy ninja challenged her to a game of whack-a-mole, and then paid someone else to play for him. This really pissed Temari off, even though she had won, and she proceeded to chase him around with her fan, until he ran into the bathroom. Temari was still waiting for him outside.

Gaara and Hinata played through another House of the Dead game, and he finished off the evening by winning her a raccoon plushy, which she enjoyed immensely.

Next chapter will be longer, and will get back to the trial thing, I promise.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to update, I haven't been able to get on the computer for a while, because my mom and step dad have been on it all the time, and when they aren't, it's scanning for viruses. Really, I am sorry; I know how much it sucks to not have a story updated in forever, so onwards.

Hinata was nervous, really nervous. Tomorrow was the day for her surgery, and she was scared to death. What if something went wrong? What if she woke up n the middle of the procedure? What if she never woke up at all? What if-

"You are going to be fine, Little One, try and get some sleep, alright? I'll be right there for you, waiting, as always." Gaara was a really big help. The trial had been going on for weeks, now, mostly due to the defense attorneys, who kept asking for continuances and recesses, along with calling back every witness and having every piece of evidence reexamined. It was only today that she had been called back, so they could get her in before her surgery. Those jerks. They had questioned her over and over again if the pictures of her were really her, and if so, where were all of the bruises now, and why wasn't she still emaciated? Wasn't it true that Gaara had been the one to inflict such pain on her? Needless to say, Gaara was pissed, and so was the judge. Hinata had scribbled exactly what she thought of the lawyer and his tactics on a note pad, then scribbled her answers from the previous cross examination, and offered the suggestion that if he was unable to remember her answers, or was simply too lazy to look them up on the record, then perhaps he should find another calling, since he was obviously an incompetent nimrod who should have never passed law school. He didn't like that very much. She finished the job by telling him that because of her injuries she was going to have surgery tomorrow, and thus she was going to be unavailable for any more testimony while she recovered, so perhaps he should make sure that he had everything that he needed?

"I want the truth, Hinata Hyuuga, AND I WANT IT NOW!" the brown haired man was in her face now, so she pushed him back, then scribbled down another caustic response: I am no longer a Hyuuga, I am a member of Gaara sama's family now, and I am telling you the truth, you just refuse to see it. You also should learn how to brush your teeth, your breath almost killed me. Yelling at me isn't going to make me change my answers, I've faced things that are much worse than you, you just remind me of an angry old toad; all bluster and no substance. Oh, and it isn't wise to insult the man who happens to rule your country, that tends to get you fired. He wasn't the one who hurt me, it was my former clan. I have been with him for a few months now, so, quite naturally and obviously, I have been healing, and unlike the Hyuuga, he has been making sure I have enough to eat. Stop asking stupid questions. Your Honor, may I get down now, please? I am very tired, and I have an appointment with Shizune san.

"Yes, Hinata sama, you may leave. However, I am afraid that your appointment will have to wait, Shizune san has to testify again today."

"Your Honor, I ask that the defense be prohibited from any and all contact with Hinata san, and that any questions presented in this court to the witnesses be new and relevant to this case, he has dragged out this trial long enough, and has presented nothing new," Gaara's patience was long gone, and that fact was not lost on the judge. Gaara was a firm believer in a fair trial, but this was getting ridiculous, if he had been on the bench, he would have held the lawyer in contempt of court. This attorney was a civilian, so up until now; Gaara had been unable to touch him, under Suna law. But now that he had voluntarily taken up the Hyuuga defense, he had left himself wide open for Gaara to do some digging. It was amazing what you could find in a shred pile. Of course, it took some time to go through and piece it all together, but it was worth it. He had enough evidence to charge him with treason. The lawyer knew that he was going to lose, but he wanted to spring several of the Hyuuga's from prison before their execution, in exchange for a large reward, presumably enough to hide from any ninja that Suna might send after him and to ensure that he lived the rest of his life in comfort. But he hadn't counted on Gaara finding out about this, nor did it occur to him that if the Hyuuga clan was unable to hide from him, then how could he? He couldn't, but Gaara didn't feel like starting this trial over, or delaying it. That was why, while Hinata was getting her surgery, Itachi was going to pay this lawyer a little visit.

When Hinata left, the jury was finally allowed to begin discussing the case, in order to decide if the clan was innocent or guilty. Since each member was being individually charged, it would take some time. Gaara, however, was pleased with the results he had seen so far, and he had already set off a chain of events that would ultimately kill this traitorous little man. So he was content to leave things as they were, confident that he would have his way.

The next morning was hectic, mostly because of Hinata's surgery that loomed only a few hours from now. She wasn't allowed to eat, because of the anesthesia, but she probably wouldn't have been able to anyways, she was so nervous that she was actually fairly nauseated. Gaara did his best to sooth her, holding her on his lap at the table, rubbing her back, and murmuring gently in her ear, but he couldn't completely vanquish her nerves. Deidara tried to lighten the mood by telling her several interesting stories about Sasori and Itachi, some of which made them blush a bit, such as when a really drunk guy mistook Itachi for a girl, and had groped his butt. Itachi had immediately punched the guy, but it still didn't make up for what he had gone through, so he stripped him naked and had tied him to a poll. Deidara then went on to tell her about how Sasori had had to go pee really bad, and had gone into a public bathroom. What he hadn't realized was that Kisame had switched signs, making the women's bathroom into a men's. Sasori ended up being chased by a really pissed off old woman, who had proceeded to try and beat him to death with a cane.

But the really interesting one was when Sasori and Itachi, who were more than a little drunk, convinced a very, _very, _drunk Kisame to take a picture of Gaara naked in the shower. It turned out that Gaara was the, ehem, most well endowed of them all, probably the biggest one they had ever seen. Gaara had found out about it, of course, and had been so pissed off; he threw them all off a cliff. Fortunately for them, the cliff was more like a really steep hill, so they all sort of rolled down. They still had to go to the hospital to get the cactus spines removed from their butts and other…areas. Of all the places in the desert, there had to be a cactus patch right there!

"Stop corrupting my Hinata!" Gaara glared at Deidara in such a way that it was very good that he had already peed, because he would have wet himself otherwise. Gaara needn't have worried; Hinata had no clue what Deidara had meant by well endowed. But the story was pretty funny, and she gave that silent giggle thing that she did when she found something funny.

All too soon it was time to go, and they arrived at the hospital in too short amount of time for her. She was amazed at how fast she was on a bed with an I.V. in her arm. Not long after that, she was unconscious.

Gaara awaited her nervously in the waiting room, but nurse finally convinced him that she wouldn't be getting out any time soon, so he could go get something to eat if he wanted. So he and the others left. At the cafeteria they got a snack, and sat at a table in a corner away from the windows. The blinds were drawn, but one could never be too careful.

Kisame was wolfing down some scrambled eggs, while Itachi munched on some plain rice and sipped black coffee. Sasori ate some rolls, washing it down with coffee and cream. Deidara was eating some fruit and drinking some sort of latte, piled high with whipped cream. Gaara just had tea.

"I have a favor to ask, Itachi."

"What is it, Gaara? Something to do with that attorney?" They kept their voices down, not wanting to draw unwanted attention.

"Yes, I need you to find a way to plant this sand in his hair. The grains won't be able to be rinsed off in the shower, because they are going to sink into his skin. He will be unaware that they are their, at worst they will only cause some itching. This will enable me to track him wherever he goes." Gaara slipped him a vial of fine, white sand, Which Itachi secreted away in his coat. Gaara turned to Deidara.

"Go to the courthouse, the trial will begin again shortly. Observe what goes on, and report back to me. Kisame, find the snake and tell him to keep a close watch on the prisoners, especially the Hyuuga and their associates. Then keep an eye on the house, they may have convinced someone to break in and either poison our food or set some explosives. Sasori, the same goes for you, only I want you at the tower, look for anything suspicious. I will contact you all when Hinata gets out of surgery. Be subtle when you leave, alright?" they nodded and casually finished their meals.

Gaara stopped by the flower shop in the hospital and got Hinata a vase full of white lilies and red roses. He knew that she would like them.

Hinata was finally out of surgery ten hours later, and Gaara was her room waiting for her to wake up. He adored his little dove, and he refused to leave her side. He hadn't seen her this frail in a while, and it made him nervous. They were going to keep her overnight, just to be safe, but her outlook was very good. When she was healed from this, she could begin her physical and chakra therapy, at long last. Shizune had given him a special cream that he was to apply directly on the incision; it would stop the wound from becoming infected, or scarring. She had also picked up her prescriptions; she was on another round of pills, this time mostly pain killers, but some would help her ribs knit back together faster. Poor little thing, she had gone through so much in her life that shouldn't have happened, most of which would have killed most others. But she somehow survived, against all odds.

He smiled at her when she sleepily opened her eyes, and he showed her the flowers. She liked them a lot, and Gaara fed her some ice chips, and kissed her cheek softly as she drifted back asleep. Resilient, tenacious, and sometimes a little feisty, Hinata was nothing short of a miracle, and he was determined to keep her safe.


	21. Chapter 21

ConfusedJelly!!!!!!! You're back!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!! Ok, while it is true that in some cultures and religions white lilies symbolize death, that wasn't exactly what I was going for, but I will come up with a few scenarios just for you, because you review me so much, and you're awesome. White lilies, and I'm talking about the pure white lilies here, could also symbolize purity or innocence, just like how the color white is often depicted. So using that reasoning, Gaara chose them and the red roses to represent a pure love, if he was feeling romantic, or sappy, or, perhaps, if he was on crack. Using them as a symbol of death, Gaara could be representing himself as death. (Since he has killed so many people, it kind of is the truth.) Thus, he would be telling her that death loves her, indirectly telling her that he loves her. That sounds more like him, doesn't it? Well, the truth is, Gaara probably chose the flowers because of a blend of the two preceding scenarios. I will probably re-use this particular bouquet in most, if not all, of my Gaahina stories, because it fits the two of them so well, and it is my favorite bouquet. I think I will start the actual chapter now, so onwards with the story! Oh wait, squeamish people, menstruation is involved, (that's a girl's period, just incase someone, somehow doesn't know that. To them, I encourage you to pay attention in health class and to read the dictionary.) So if you don't like that stuff, skip down a bit, or don't read, or whatever. Now, it is onwards for real!

Chapter Twenty-one

_**Dude, I smell blood. Is she alright? Her stitches are healed by now, aren't they?**_

_They are, the scent is intoxicating, even if it worries me._

Gaara threw open the bedroom door, and he froze at the sight before him. Hinata was crying, and the blood was intoxicating. What the hell was wrong? Where was it coming from? He didn't see any cuts, so- oh. Uh oh, oh no, it couldn't-well, yes it could, and it actually made the most sense out of anything, but didn't she know about it? Oh, wait, of course not, not with her clan, she probably thought she was dying or something.

He walked over to the bed, and carefully pulled the blankets back. Sure enough, they were soaked in blood. She began to shake uncontrollable, all the while sobbing. It would have been unusual to see someone cry without a sound like she did, but he was used to it.

"No no! It's okay! Perfectly natural, really! It's actually a good sign! It means that you are finally healthy! It's a good thing! All girls have this! Here, why don't we run you a bath, and I'll get some fresh blankets and I'll call Shizune, she'll be able to explain it a lot better than I can, alright? Don't worry, it's not your fault, and I'm not mad, let's just get you in the tub, you'll feel a lot better." She calmed down a little, but she was still scared. The last time she checked, that much blood meant that something was seriously wrong; she might have been dying or something. But he seemed to think it was normal! It wasn't! This had never happened before! What was she supposed to do?! How was a bath going to help?! What about the sheets, and the blankets, and her pajamas, and-

"Calm down, Hinata, there's nothing to worry about, I promise," Gaara pulled her into a hug, nuzzling her neck. He adored her, in so many ways, and it seemed to grow with each passing day. He scooped her up in his arms, and then walked into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him quietly, promising her that Shizune would be in with fresh clothes and a full explanation as to what was going on.

She sighed in exasperation as she undressed and stepped into the tub. She still didn't know how a bath was supposed to help her out, although by now she was somewhat convinced that she wasn't going to die. She was also somewhat irritated at the fact that he hadn't even stayed around to wash her back. She was immediately mortified at what she had thought, turning into an interesting shade of red, and ducked down in the water so that all you could see was the to of her head and her eyes. Telling herself that the bubbles would have covered her body wasn't helping, even though there were a lot of bubbles in this wonderfully hot water, and the bubbles were scented with lavender. It was _heaven._ Her heroic demon-man-teddy bear-heated blanket/pillow-the bestest, most awesomest guy in the whole wide world certainly knew how to draw a bath. She settled in and relaxed.

_**That was so hot.**_

_No, it wasn't, she was scared, now shut up._

_**Doesn't change the fact that she's hot, you should've stayed and-**_

_SHUT UP!!! I DON'T WANNA HEAR THIS!!! STOP GIVING ME THOSE GRAPHIC IMAGES!!! YOU'RE NOT HELPING ME AT ALL!!!_

_**But I love annoying you! And I won't stop until you admit that that sight turned you on. It's not healthy for you to repress those feelings, you know, that could cause**_** it **_**to shrivel up and die, you know.**_

_SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! STOP GIVING ME THOSE IMAGES!!! THIS IS __**SO **__WRONG, WHY ARE YOU-_

_**Admit it, you **_**know **_**you want her, deep down, just admit it, and I will stop with the images.**_

_FINE!!! I well, I Iwantherverybadinmanywayssostopbuggingme!_

_**Slow down and spit it out, kid.**_

_Jerk…stupid, big fat furry jerk, I hate you!_

_**Say it, kid!**_

_…I…sort of…somewhat…find her…a…ttra…ctive…_

_**There, now was that so hard?**_

_You suck, I hate you, you suck so much that it's a new world record, you vile, you evil-_

_**No need to thank me, just get off your ass and court her already! Kiss her like you mean it! Take her out dancing! Make out with her! Get her presents! Complement her! Make her feel special and desirable, and hurry up with the kids!**_

_What kids?_

_**My grand kids, dumb ass, now hop to! And I want lots of kids, so you better get busy, now hurry up and call Shizune so she can have **_**the talk **_**with her, so she won't freak out when she see's you naked for the first time, move it, move it, MOVE YOUR LAZY ASS!**_

_I AM NOT LAZY, AND YOU ARE AN IDIOT IF YOU THINK SHE'S JUST GONNA START FIRING OUT KIDS, YOU MORON! THE ONLY THING I HAVEN'T DONE WITH HER YET IS DANCE AND KISS, I ALREADY GIVE HER PRESENTS! I LIKE TO THINK THAT I SPOIL HER!_

_**Sheesh, you give me a headache, you suck, I'm going to sleep.**_

_Good riddance!_

By now he had reached the phone and was dialing Shizune's number.

"Uhhhh, hello? Who's calling me?" she sounded very sleepy.

"Sorry, Shizune, but I have a little problem."

"It's midnight, couldn't it wait until morning?"

"No, it's Hinata, you see, she, well, she just got her first, ah, time of the month, and she doesn't know what it is, so could you come and explain it all to her? Please?

"Things must be bad, you hardly ever say please like that, alright, I'm coming, and I'll bring her some pads, where is she?"

"I ran a bath for her…"

"Alright, see ya in a bit."

All of a sudden a crash was heard. Hanging up the phone quickly, he dashed into his living room to find Sasori and Kisame sword fighting with paper towel tubes (those brown cardboard things, I can't remember what they are called, but I will after I have uploaded this chapter and update my story with it, because that's how life is, moving on) It was apparent that a wild swing from Kisame had knocked down a book shelf, thankfully there was nothing breakable on it. Gaara gave them both a whack upside the head and ordered them to pick up the books and put them back. He went into the laundry room and stain sprayed the sheets and blankets, then brought up a new set and made the bed. Deciding that tea sounded good, he went back down and made Hinata and himself a cup. Peering into the living room, he saw that Sasori and Kisame had made a pyramid out of the books on the still toppled bookshelf. He sent his sand out to get Kisame's sword and Sasori's favorite puppets, threatening to burn them and dismantle them if they didn't do as he said. They finally relented, and Gaara returned upstairs.

Shizune arrived a few minutes later, asking where Hinata was and what was that crash that she heard before he hung up? He briefly told her about the sword fighting incident and that Hinata was upstairs in the tub. She marched upstairs and politely knocked on the door.

"Hinata, may I come in? It's Shizune," a soft tapping was heard from the other side. She took that as a yes, so she entered to find her patient missing. On closer inspection she saw a small blue-black mound with two eyes just barely peeking out from the bubbles. Shizune couldn't help but laugh, she was just so cute!

"Alright, Hinata, Gaara tells me that you've started your period, and that you sorta freaked out a bit. Do you know what that is? No? Okay, that explains why you freaked out a bit. Okay, you are not going to die, every girl has her period, in fact, under normal circumstances, it happens once a month, every month, until menopause, which I will explain about later. Has anyone told you about the birds and the bees? No?! Well, I can certainly see that those morons who call themselves the Hyuuga have really outdone themselves this time, they really left you vulnerable! Good thing Gaara has morals, skewed and twisted though they may be at times, he- ok, you need to tell me what his interactions with you consist of." She handed her a towel, a note pad, and a pen.

He likes to cuddle, and he kisses me on my cheek and forehead. He ruffles my hair, and he gives me tasty treats! He also helps me study and liked to go on walks with me. He gives me hugs, and lies beside me while I sleep to keep me safe and warm. He gives me flowers and other presents. He is the nicest person I have ever met!

"Okay, that doesn't sound too fishy, but I better go ask him anyways. Do you know the difference between a man and a woman?"

Men are tall, and they have deep voices?

"Well, it is true that most men are taller than most women, and that they usually have deeper voices than we do, but that isn't the main difference. Alright, I've got my work cut out for me. First things first, your period…"

Gaara paced restlessly around his room. He was worried, very worried. What was taking so long? Why was it taking so long? Don't tell me that she hasn't even had the talk!

_**Well, kid, if she had no clue about her period, than chances are that she hasn't.**_

_But she's eighteen! Not knowing could get her seriously hurt! I mean, I knew she was innocent, but not that innocent!_

_**Good thing you have class! And here everyone thinks that you're a monster, at least you don't take advantage of clueless little girls! Not like some people I could name…**_

_Well, I can't bring myself to hurt her like that-oh my God!_

_**What?**_

_What if she was molested and she didn't realize it?!_

_**You better ask Shizune, make sure she's okay, that could be very bad.**_

_And here I've been lying down beside her every night! What if it gave her bad dreams, or brought up memories, or-_

_**Calm down, I don't think it bothers her, she actually seems to feel safer with you beside her, because you keep the monsters away! Funny, huh? Using a monster to combat monsters…**_

_She doesn't seem to see me as a monster…_

_**And that's my point. She loves you to death, you can tell when she looks at you. She is the first person to see you for who you are right off the bat. You're her hero, her night in shining armor. She doesn't see you as a tool, or a weapon, or a way up to the top, unlike the others. Even your Akatasuki were your enemies once, as where your brother and sister, but not her. That's why she's the perfect girl for you!**_

_Maybe you're right…_

_**You've been feeling romantic and possessive towards her for quite some time now, don't deny it.**_

_Maybe I have been._

_**I know it's hard, Gaara. You haven't really let anyone in since Yashamaru; you haven't even spoken about it really. But she's already wormed her way into your heart, and you know it. Know somethin' else? You're the best one for her.**_

_Now that can't be right…_

_**It's true. You have a lot in common. Both of your families were scum, both abused you, both tried to kill you, and both hated you. You, kid, are the only one who can really understand her pain, and she is the only one to be able to truly under stand yours. It's time you two had a heart to heart. Why is Shizune pissed at you?**_

_I don't know…_

"What?"

"What do you mean, what, you know damn well what!"

"No, I don't, now tell me, what's wrong?"

"Where the hell do you get off in lying down beside her, and giving her kisses, and all of that other crap?! Don't you realize that she has absolutely no concept of the birds and the bees?! Do you realize that she has absolutely no clue about what a virgin is?! Shame on you!"

"Hey! I haven't touched her that way! I would never hurt her! And why the hell are you bringing up her virginity?!"

"Why the hell haven't you talked to her about sex?!"

Gaara mumbled something under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that!"

"I SAID IT WASN'T MY PLACE!" Shizune drew back in alarm when he bellowed this out. She studied him nervously for several moments, trying to come to grips with the situation. Then it hit her.

"Aw, that's the sweetest thing ever!" she squealed this out while clasping her hands over her heart.

"Come again?" At first, he had been mad, but now he was confused.

"You're old fashioned! As in escorting the lovely lady home before going to your place! You'd put your jacket over a puddle so your girl wouldn't get dirty! It's so sweet!"

"You're a nutcase, you know that?! For one thing, there are no puddles in Suna, and for another, Hinata lives here, so-"

"I used that just to express the idea. The point is you were trying to shield her from any embarrassment! Oh, that's a relief."

"Alright…but what does this have to do with her virginity?" he took a sip of tea.

"I mean it! She has absolutely no clue what sex is! She doesn't even know what it entails, or what a virgin is. I asked her if a part of you ever felt…firm, but she said you were hard all of the time!" at this he choked, and began to cough.

"W-w-what?!" he gasped out between breaths.

"That was my response; I don't think she quite understood what I was talking about."

"Obviously! Why the hell would you ask her something like that in the first place?!"

"I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurting her!"

"I would never rape her! That's, that's just-"

"I know, it was just something she told me about her family."

Gaara went cold. She looked at him, and she began to tremble. She had forgotten she was dealing with someone who had crushed the Akatasuki and two of the three sannin. His eyes were ice, promising death to those who had wronged his Hinata.

"She told me that her family had planned on using her as bait, and while you were, well, you know, they were-"

"They sent her to be-"

"They were going to, but she escaped. They told her that you liked to rape virgins, torture and dismember them and then feed them to your spawn. Of course, you wouldn't do something like that, but the fact remains that was what they were going to do to her. That was when she asked me what a virgin was."

"…I see…"

"Well, I had better finish up…"

"Yes, you should." Gaara had his back to her now, but she could feel his chakra, and it told her that he was pissed. She almost felt sorry for the Hyuugas. Almost. She had heard stories of the things he had done to people when they pissed him off, and they hadn't been pretty. It was then that she knew, even if the Hyuuga had by some miracle won their trial, they would still die.

She went into the bathroom and continued her explanation about the birds and the bees. She knew that Hinata wouldn't be able to quite grasp the concept of sex completely until she actually experienced it, but she knew that she was in good hands, however eccentric their owner might be.


	22. Chapter 22

Wohoo! My reviews are now in the triple digits! I am so happy! Yay! Okay, some more humor in this one, some seriously twisted humor too. How about a pissy Hinata, a grumpy Gaara, and a horny Shukaku? Top it off with a whiney Orochimaru, a sarcastic Sasori and Itachi, and a grossed out Kisame who seems to have a death wish? Read on, if you dare, muwahahahahaha! Onwards, my reviewers, onwards!

Chapter Twenty-two

Hinata now knew one thing for certain. She hated her period. It gave her cramps, and it was messy, and it made Gaara act really weird. And she was supposed to have one of these every month! It's not fair! Stupid period, now she felt like she had diaper on because of this "pad." Stupid pads, she hated them too.

"Hey, Little Guppy, you look like crap!" Kisame promptly gave a really girly scream as she began throwing things at him. He gave a muffled grunt of pain as a very large book smacked him in the face. She tackled him, and, armed with a permanent marker, she wrote "big smelly jerk" in large capital letters. She was then pried off by Gaara, who was muttering something about how he shouldn't have to go through this torture.

"What's her problem!"

"Uh, duh! She's a woman now, un! With womanly issues! Tread lightly, un, if you want to live, un."

"You mean she's on her- ewwwwww! That's so gross! Wait, don't throw that, it's sharp! Yeeow! Gaara, restrain your woman!"

"Bite me."

"Sheesh, looks like you're on your period too. Am I the only normal one here? Wait, what the hell, don't shove me up their again! Once was bad enough! Wai- mmmph!" Gaara had shoved him in the chimney, only this time he was right side up. Hinata then grabbed a poker and began to prod him, rather forcefully, in his thigh. That was when Orochimaru walked in.

"No, no, no, dear, you've got to jab him here, not there, see? Watch." He began to prod Kisame's butt with the poker, but he was promptly kicked by Kisame, knocking him into the wall. Orochimaru, oddly enough, began to cry. Gaara kicked him in the ribs to shut him up.

"God, Orochimaru, you are such a whiner, that's all you ever do," Itachi muttered.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to think that you're Sasuke's bitch, not the other way around."

"Don't you guys think that you're being a little harsh, un?"

"Oh, Deidara, we're so sorry! Next time we'll play nice, just for babies like you!"

"No need to be an ass, Sasori, un."

"Au contraire, Ballerina san, there is a reason. We have to be asses just to be able to cope with you. Whenever something stupid happens, it's because of you and Kisame and we always end up getting sucked into whatever mess you've made. That goes for you too, snake-boy. You whine and whimper more than a pedophile does when he realizes that there are no five year olds in prison."

"You know what, Itachi? That was completely unnecessary-"

"Not really. Why don't you two go and-"

"ITACHI! I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Shut up, Sasuke, no one asked for you, you little lap dog."

"No, Itachi, you forgot, Orochimaru's the lap dog now, he curls up on his lap every night, and then he-"

"I AM NOT A LAP DOG! I just don't like being kicked around, that's all."

"Yeah, grow up, Itachi, that's one of the reasons I want to kill you. You- move it, slut, I don't- GAAAAHHHHH!" Sasuke was immediately tackled by Hinata, who slapped him across the face, then backhanded him. 

"I'VE GOT THIS, GAARA!" Itachi quickly intervened before Gaara could get to him, fortunately for Sasuke. Itachi picked him up, and, dangling him by his ankles, dragged him into the bathroom. Hinata followed, anxious to continue her punishment. Itachi dangled him over the toilet.

"Apologize."

"NO!"

Splash, flush, girly squeal.

"Apologize."

"NO!"

Splash, flush, girly squeal.

"Apologize."

"NO!"

Splash, flush, girly squeal.

Hinata threw some toilet paper in.

"Apologize."

"NEVER!"

Splash, flush, swirling toilet paper, and a girly squeal.

"You guys are costing me money. Here, I've got a better idea." Gaara pried him loose, yanked down his pants, and-

"You wear pink lace thongs?"

"Freedom of movement and comfort, baby!"

"You really are a bitch, aren't you?"

Gaara encased him in sand while bending him over. Deidara ran over with a black marker, and drew five target rings. Kisame had gotten loose by now.

"Eww, that's so gross! It's all hanging out for everyone to see!" 

Sasori brought over a crossbow that shot darts with suction cups at the ends.

"Apologize, bitch." He loaded the crossbow.

"NO!" he thrashed a bit, but only succeeded in flinging wet gobs of toilet paper. 

SMACK! A dart stuck in his butt. He squealed.

"Dude, my idea, let me shoot one."

SMACK! Another squeal.

"Bull's-eye, un! Hey, are you ready to give up yet? Because if you don't, I'm getting out the bottle rockets, and guess where I'm going to launch them from?"

"ALRIGHT! JEEZE, I'M SORRY, ALRIGHT!"

"Good boy, now grovel at her feet, un!"

"What! No!"

"I said grovel," Deidara shook a can of Reddi Whip in his face. Sasuke yielded, and began to grovel.

"Oh, please, hime, spare me," he grumbled. Deidara took off his belt and smacked him on the ass.

"You call that groveling? You must want us to use the bottle rockets, un!"

"Ow! Fine! Please, please, Hinata hime! Call off your dogs! I beg of you, have mercy on a pitiful, ignorant soul!" 

"Now that's groveling, un! What does my favorite hummingbird say, un? Shall we spare him?"

She stood and thought for far too long, as far as Sasuke was concerned, anyway. But she eventually gave him a pat on the head. He left the room swiftly. That chick was seriously scary.

Gaara told someone to shut up, and then left the room. The others Knew it was probably Shukaku, as this happened on occasion.

_**Dude, she smells so sweet. You have to at least taste her.**_

_Shut up, you are not helping my resolve._

_**Did you see how feisty she was? I bet she's a real frisky kitten in the bedroom, if you know what I mean.**_

_Shut up, I-_

_**You know she has a good form. Nice legs, soft hair, pretty eyes, boobs the perfect size-**_

_SHUT UP!_

_**Every inch of her body begs for attention, like her lovely neck, soft skin that is sweeter than cream, delicious blood, pink lips-**_

_SHUT UP!_

_**And those dark sheets and blankets would only enhance her beauty; can you picture it, Gaara? You know it would be sweet-**_

_If you don't shut up, I'll personally see to it that you never see another woman again!_

_**Fine, I will. No biggie really, I already have your mind working on overdrive anyway. Tata!**_

_I…hate…you…so…much…_

In the middle of this discussion Hinata had wandered into the room. She went over to Gaara, snuggled him a bit, and then went to get some clothes out of her dresser. He caught a glimpse of her wine colored panties just before she covered them with her other clothes. Walking over to hime, she bounced up, giving him a kiss on his cheek, and then headed for the bathroom. He groaned softly. Life was so unfair.

Hey, sorry about the wait, my step-dad is running for a political office and he needs the computer, a lot. So I haven't been able to get on and type. I will try to get on as often as I can, but, well, please be patient. I'm not discontinuing this story or anything, so don't worry. Please try to be patient! Really! Please! With extra cookies and cakes!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-three

Uhhh, I need to get back to the trial, maybe kill a few more people in the story…too much humor, not enough blood. Ooh ooh! I know! I'll combine the two! Hey, do you remember that chapter that I had Gaara rip out that Hyuuga's eyes? Well, refer back to it, because the eyes are back! Onwards, my fellow maniacs! Onwards!

He was taking a break, mostly because he had a cramp in his hands from all of the paperwork. Stupid jury, they still haven't sorted through the case yet! And he couldn't hang around Hinata all of the time because she made him horny! It wasn't fair! This sucked! Gaara angrily kicked over his table, only to spot something strange. He walked over to one of his many shelves and pulled down a jar.

_Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot all about these._

_**Forgot about what? Condoms?**_

___No, you moron, the eyeballs I ripped out of that one guy's head, you know, the day Hinata broke into my house and got Kisame stuck in my chimney. You remember, right? I had to climb down from my balcony to get her…_

_**Oh yeah! That's right! I didn't even know you still had those. Are they any good?**_

___They should be, I tossed them in some preservative, so they should be fine. I have to clean off the excess tissue though._

_**Why?**_

___Ping-pong._

_**What?!**_

__After about ten minutes he had two white spheres in his hand. He tried to bounce one, but it didn't bounce as well as a ping-pong ball. What a shame, that would have been fun. Now what? Ooh! He could set up a mini bowling alley!

Gaara constructed a bunch of mini bowling pins on his table. He then set one eye carefully at the end, and then flicked it at the pins. He got a strike, but the eye went sailing off of his desk and landed on the floor in front of his door. Just then Itachi walked in and stepped on it, squashing it flat.

"Aw man! You stepped on my eye!"

"What the fff- what the hell is this?!"

"That's just great, I had a great game going too, why does this always happen to me?! You shit head! You smashed it beyond recognition! Jerk!"

"What? A game? What is your problem?!"

"Oh, don't act like you don't know! You did this on purpose! You always ruin my fun-"

"Yes, Gaara, that's right, I came here to step on your eye and ruin your game," Itachi said sarcastically.

"Shut up, don't be sarcastic, I just find the whole situation frustrating, that's all. I had a strike, too…"

"Uhhh, I'm sorry?" Itachi said hesitantly.

"Don't worry, I've got a spare!" Gaara held up the other eye. Itachi looked at it, and then noticed the little bowling pins.

"I don't even want to know, but you are due back in court in ten minutes, the jury has finally reached a verdict on several of the Hyuugas, so, can we go? Hinata and Sasori are already at the courthouse, and Deidara, Kisame, Orochimaru, and the rest are on their way."

"Alright, but I'm taking my eye!"

"Good for you."

At the courthouse

Gaara was sitting beside Hinata, trying to resist the urge to ravish her on the spot. She just smells so delectable… She scooted closer to him, which didn't help his resolve, but she was too cute to resist! With those big eyes, long eyelashes, and that wonderful habit of snuggling into his neck…

Meep. What the hell was that?

Gaara looked down at her, and she looked just as confused as he did. Suddenly he shoved her head down and ducked beside her as a weird flying _thing_ went whizzing by his head. Meep meep. What the hell was that?! The strange brown thing landed on her lap. It was a finch. What the hell was a finch doing in a courthouse?! The finch meeped again and hopped around on Hinata's lap, who seemed to like it. Oh great, now she was going to want to take it home with her, and it would fly around his house, crapping and meeping, and quite possibly dive-bombing everyone in sight.

She gave him a hopeful smile. That was it, he was sunk, there was no way he could say no, and now he was going to have feathers and bird crap everywhere. Damn it!

He looked at the brown finch, which, yet again, meeped at him. It flew up to land on his shoulder and pecked his ear lightly. Then it stuck its head in his ear, making it feel all weird and feathery. Gaara squirmed and tried to shoe it away, but it just scuttled around to the other side, this time it meeped very loudly in his ear. He tried to shoe it away again, but it fluttered to land on his head and began to meep insistently. This time he grabbed it and gave it to Hinata, who sat it on her shoulder, liking the way it snuggled into her neck. It was so cute!

The door opened, the defendants were led to their chairs, and the finch flew over them, crapping on Neji as it circled around back to Hinata. Gaara snickered. Maybe the bird wasn't so bad after all…

"What the fuck was that?! Some bird just shit all over my shirt!"

"Hyuuga Neji! You will refrain from such language in this court! Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have Your Honor. We find the defendants guilty of all charges."

"Very well, sentencing will be assigned to Lord Kazekage Gaara, who will advise the court when he will hold the sentencing hearing. The defendants are to be returned to their cells. This court is adjourned." A loud tap and everyone filed out. Gaara smirked in triumph.

When they got home, Hinata went to study for her next test, anatomy. She had already passed the small tests on each unit of the human body, passed with flying colors, actually, but she still had to pass the big test in order to pass this section. Gaara had to decide the fates of the Hyuuga, not an easy task. He knew for certain that he could execute most of the adults and not cause an uproar in Suna, but the younger members, such as Hanabi, were another matter. Plus, he had to decide where the children would go. He also didn't want to alienate Hinata.

He went to her to see where she stood on this matter, and was surprised. Hinata told him, in her way, that she would grieve their deaths, but that they had no right, particularly the main branch, to expect leniency. They had killed innocent children in the trade caravans that they had attacked during the war, along with other civilians. She did make a few requests, though. She asked him to consider the curse mark when deciding the fate of those in the side branches, and that Hanabi be allowed to live and repent. She also asked to be excused from seeing the executions that would take place.

Gaara granted her requests. He informed the council and the courts of his decisions the next morning. Many of the Hyuugas were to be sentenced to death, but some, most notably the lower branch members, were going to be sentenced to hard labor instead. Suna did not believe in normal imprisonment. It was a waste of money. They had hard labor camps instead. They functioned like normal prisons, with one great exception: from dawn until dusk the prisoners did hard labor, such as mining, construction, and cleanup around the village. The prisoners got food and proper equipment, and there were few fights. They were usually too exhausted by the end of the day to do anything but shower, eat, and sleep. The prisoner groups were constantly being switched around, which prevented gangs from forming, also decreasing the violence. Punishment was severe when one of them dared to break the rules, the least of which was a flogging.

Hanabi was going to one of these camps for at least ten years, perhaps more, depending on her behavior. She was also going to be branded with a special type of Gaara's curse mark, the same one that he had used on the akatasuki, before they had proven themselves loyal to him. Most of the remaining members of the clan would have the same fate, with the exception of the children. The children were to be sent to the academy, and if they wanted, allowed to become full fledged sand shinobi. They were to be taken in by his clan, so that they would not have to worry about their future. The curse marks that would be placed on them would be removed after some time, depending on how they turned out. He could not, in good conscience, let former enemies run around unchecked in his village, no matter how young.

However, Hiashi and Neji would not be so fortunate. They, along with most of the main and higher side family, would be executed in a very unique way. Their crimes were far greater than the rest of the clan's, and so their punishment was more severe. Their deaths would not come as swiftly and easily as the others.

The next day the clan was filed into a large courtroom and seated. No witnesses were permitted other than the ones who were most affected by the crimes of the Hyuuga clan, such as Asa and Hinata. Asa looked nervous and uneasy, whereas Hinata simply looked…sad. Hiashi and Neji both wondered at this, she was looking directly at them, not with fear, or anger, just sadness. In the end, it was they who had to turn away. Gaara entered then, dressed in his black and red Kage robes, with no hat, of course. (There was a rumor going around that he hated wearing hats.)

"Before I read your sentences, do any of you have anything to say? If so, speak now, for you will get no other chances."

Hiashi stood. "We are not from your village! You have no right to even put us on trial, let alone sentence us! How dare you, you-"

"Let me make an adjustment to my previous statement: do any of you have anything meaningful to say? Oh, and Hiashi, it is not a good idea to aggravate the one who holds the fate of your entire clan in his hands, try to think things through, for once-"

A loud bang interrupted him, and Naruto barged in. He was holding a slip of paper. Gaara glared at him, and someone behind him wet his pants.

"Yo Gaara! What is this shit?! I can't believe it, believe it! Why is ramen so expensive here? I could buy ten bowls with the money I use to buy one here, believe it!" he gestured wildly with the paper, which was evidently a receipt of his lunch.

"Get out! We are in the middle of a sentencing hearing! I don't care about your bill! And you will refer to me as 'Lord Kazekage sama,' or 'Lord Gaara sama,' not 'yo Gaara, you idiot!"

"But I, the great Naruto, the Ramenkage, demand and explanation, believe it! Oh, uh, what's a smentenking hearing?"

Gaara put his face in his hands; he couldn't believe how stupid this kid was!

"That's 'sentencing hearing, moron, it's when I decide what punishment to give to criminals, now beat it!"

"But I-"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, OR I SWEAR THAT YOU WILL NEVER EAT ANOTHER BOWL OF RAMEN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh, you're the meanest person I've ever met, believe it!"

"You the dumbest person I've ever met, now scram or you'll never even see ramen again, believe it!" Naruto ran out.

"Now then, if there are no more interruptions or pathetic speeches about how I can't do this and that, shall we continue? Good. Hiashi, you are sentenced to death by drawing and quartering, Neji, you are sentenced to death by the wheel, Hanabi, you are sentenced to ten years of hard labor…" and after some time, everyone was sentenced. Their sentences were to be carried out within the week. Hinata was grieving, but she knew that she would survive. After all, hadn't she gone through worse?

Yeah, really sorry about the long wait, but you know, I haven't really had a chance to get on the computer and type. Again, I'm not quitting this story, or trying to bug you guys, my situation has just been really difficult in the computer area. Sorry, but I should be finishing this story soon! And there will be a sequel! It will probably be like a series of one shots or something.


	24. Chapter 24

I would rather not tell what office he is running for, but it isn't president, so don't worry

I would rather not tell what office he is running for, but it isn't president, so don't worry. I just don't want anyone figuring out my address and blurting it out to some crazed stalker guy and I end up having some nut job following me around…yes, I can be paranoid. Anyways, don't worry, there will be a sequel to this story, but I will try to work on my Secretary for a Schizo first. I will try to do only one story at a time, so I don't get plotlines confused. Heh, I'm also getting back to the torture. You guys did notice that I didn't list all of the executions, right? Oh yes, what fun. For those with a sensitive stomach, you might want to skip this chapter.

Chapter Twenty-four

He loved killing people. Seriously, he really did. There was something beautiful about the way they screamed, how the blood flowed out, and how the light left their eyes. He loved the way that, if you did it just right, you could get the look of horror on their faces to remain fixed, even in death. And he had forty people to kill. Yes, the blood will flow like a river after he was through with this clan, and the scent of their fear would linger in the air for hours, quite a feat under the blazing sun in the desert.

Neji was thrown at Gaara's feet. He smiled at him, almost gently, but his eyes were those of a cat that toyed with a mouse just before dispatching it.

"Today, Neji, you will bleed for me even more than the last time. You remember the last time, right? You still bear the marks on your wrists."

"You monster…"

"Yes, yes, always monster, or some other variant of the word. Never any originality when it comes to insults, I find it all terribly boring. Let's have some fun now, yes? You remember your fate, the wheel? Well, it is actually sort of a two-part process. First, you will be tied to this one," a large steel wheel was rolled out. There was a metal X in the center, made of steel, each end of the X touched the round sides of the wheel. "Then you will be tied to the other one, but I will get to that later. Now, you see, this steel has been sitting in the sun for quite some time, about four hours. That's why my assistants, Deidara and Sasori, had to wear gloves while they rolled it. It may not sound very menacing, sitting in the sun, but in the desert, it can be hot enough to fry an egg on the sand. This metal is even hotter. Now then, time for your injection." Gaara viciously jabbed a syringe into Neji's arm.

"Ow! What the hell is that?!"

"Now now, you don't want to pass out, do you? Then you'd miss everything, and you don't want that, now do you?"

"…Monster…"

Gaara smirked and tied him tightly to wheel. He allowed some extra chain length so Neji could slump on the wheel. He was given choice between slumping and dislocating his shoulders, or being pressed to the burning hot metal. The wheel was mounted on a knob on the stone wall of the dungeon. The skylight was open, letting the sun beat down on the wall. No sense in letting the metal cool down. Neji moaned in pain; then clamped down on his tongue. He was not going to give this demon the pleasure of hearing him scream.

A loud clang made him look up at Gaara. There was now a large cauldron at Gaara's right side, with a long handled metal spoon in it. He stirred the contents, briefly; then walked over to Neji. He pried his mouth open and shoved a metal pipe in his mouth, and buckled it behind his head. Neji groaned in protest.

"Don't be such a baby, my Hinata has endured much worse in silence. Guess that means you're weaker than her after all," Gaara mocked him. He stirred the cauldron again; then lifted the spoon out, letting him see what was in it. Neji's eyes widened in terror.

"You were constantly rambling on about how strong the blood of your clan was. Perhaps you should taste it for yourself?" Gaara dipped his finger in and then licked it clean. "Personally, I find it rather thin and flat. Tasteless, really. Let's hear your opinion." He poured some in the pipe, which prevented him from spitting it out. He either swallowed it or choked on it. After some time, he chose to swallow it, muffled sounds of disgust and horror coming from his throat. However, it did not take Gaara long to tire of this game. Besides, it was just the warm up, the appetizer. Now for the main course. Another cauldron was brought to Gaara, and placed on his left, this one with a long handled metal ladle. This one was glowing, however. Neji's struggles increased tenfold, but they got him nowhere. Gaara chuckled in his throat, and ladled up some of the molten metal. This time, Neji screamed. He screamed over and over again, but the burning liquid still slid down into his mouth, searing away the skin, causing it to blister and crack.

By the time he was finished, the metal pipe was fused in his mouth, and when Gaara pulled it out, Neji's lips and part of his tongue came with it. Feeling playful, Gaara spun the wheel and went to get his knife and staple gun. When he returned he had another syringe. Neji needed another dose. He was then rolled out into an arena. That was when he saw the other wheel, and his blood ran cold. This one was modeled after a water wheel, but it, too, was made of steel. It was over a shallow pit, where coals were being carefully arranged. The wheel boasted not only steel shackles, but three-inch steel barbed spikes, designed to hold the body firmly, no matter how hard the person struggled. This part of the execution was public.

Neji was dragged from the first wheel and chained to the second. Gaara pressed his body into the spikes; then cut off his shirt. He then cut the skin on his chest and stomach, stapling it to his sides. The coals were lit, and the wheel began to turn, slowly of course. His hair caught fire, but it burned away too quickly to do more than blister his skin. His intestines came free, and every time he went upside down he was slapped in the face by them. He screamed until his throat bled, until he couldn't scream anymore. Even then, he still screamed, mouth gaping silently. His eyes slowly cooked and popped out of his skull, and eventually dried away. His skin reddened, blistered, then blackened and peeled away. The bones that peeked through his charred flesh were also blackened. Eventually he died, but only after a few more hours of being slowly roasted alive. So this was death by the wheel…

When his corpse was taken down, after the metal had cooled sufficiently, it was presented to Gaara. He smiled in satisfaction. Neji's mouth still gaped in a silent scream.

The next Hyuuga was a main house elder. Gaara didn't waste time on this one, he was likely to have a heart attack and die on him too soon if he did anything extreme, so he simply shoved him into an iron maiden and left him in there for a few days. Gaara had two iron maidens, one for torture, with three to four inch metal spikes that dug in strategic places on the body, and one for execution. The one for execution had multiple six to eight inch spikes that pierced the chest, but not the heart. The victim, eventually, drowned in his own blood. Gaara had made that beauty himself, and was quite proud of it. The only problem he had with it was that it was a real pain to clean, both of them really. A lazy interrogator wouldn't have bothered cleaning it, but Gaara wasn't lazy. He didn't like smell of rotting flesh, and besides, it kept his toys in good repair. They lasted longer and worked better if they were clean.

He beheaded a few, just to move things along, and hung a few more, also just to move things along. But Hiashi, ah yes, Hiashi, he took his time with. He force fed him, like Neji, but unlike Neji, when he was done with that part he cut out his tongue. Hiashi gave a gurgled scream.

"Oh, shut up, it's for your own good, you don't want to choke, do you? You're even weaker than that old fool I shoved in the iron maiden; at least he had control of his bladder for the first hour." Sasori came over, wielding a whip made of razor wire. Hiashi was chained to a steel pole.

"Make sure you don't let it bite too deeply, I don't want him to bleed out before his time. You have the hooks, right?" Sasori nodded and began to whip Hiashi. He had practiced on some of the other Hyuugas that had been beheaded and hung, just to make sure he had it just right. Gaara was busy sharpening his knives. He wanted them to be sharp enough for part two, after all. How could one dissect a person properly if the knives wouldn't cut through their flesh?

Hiashi was drug out into the same arena that Neji had died in. in fact; he was chained to a post not three feet from the fire pit that had been Neji's demise. Neji's head was piked nearby, so that Hiashi could look into the empty eye sockets. He shuddered limply, until Gaara gave him his second injection. The pit was filled with coals; then they were burning brightly as Kisame kindled a bonfire. At his angle, Hiashi saw that the flames appeared to lick at the bottom of Neji's skull.

"Any last words?" Gaara smirked at him, knowing full well that, if you had no tongue then you couldn't really speak beyond a few unintelligible grunts.

"No? Then let's get started, you know, Hiashi, you really should have backed down when you had a chance, then you probably wouldn't be in this situation. Don't worry about Hinata; I've been taking good care of her. She has already advanced her studies to rival that of Tsunade's, clever little thing, isn't she?" Gaara made the first cut, slicing through the flesh only, from base of his throat to just above his groin. Two horizontal cuts followed, making two flaps of skin, which were then sliced off and tossed into the fire. That was when the screaming started.

Gaara sliced carefully through the muscle, avoiding the large veins and arteries. Hiashi's intestines were pulled out first, but not severed from his body. Gaara held them up for the crowd to see; then tossed them, still attached, into the coals. Hiashi's liver came next, then the bladder, stomach, and other organs until his abdomen was empty. That was when Gaara cracked through the ribcage, and very carefully brought forth his beating heart, still attached to the veins and arteries. Gaara worked carefully, slowly working them free of the body until the heart was held up and, to Hiashi's horror, set at the edge of the pit to slowly roast, the blood boiling and the steam making vessels burst. Soon after he finally died, six hours from when his execution had begun. Suna certainly had an interesting take of drawing and quartering, in the leaf they had always used horses.

His head was removed and, like his nephew's, his mouth still gaped open in a silent scream.

Another elder was hung, this time by his own intestines. His neck hadn't snapped on the way down, so he simply strangled. It was over in about ten minutes, and his head was added to the growing collection.

One of the few female elders was simply impaled through the gut and left for the buzzards. It took her two days.

Another three were burned alive, but one special one had a special fate. He was buried up to his neck, and then carnivorous ants were flushed from their nest and were treated to a feast. The autopsy showed that they had actually crawled through his nose and down his windpipe, eating his lungs. Of course said ants had drowned in the blood and mucus, and the ones that had reached his stomach had suffered a similar fate, but still, they had a go at it all the same. Itachi had found it fascinating, and convinced Gaara to try it again, this time with flesh eating beetles. They were fearsome too, but the ants had been more aggressive. The condemned had been left skinless but still alive when the beetles had wandered off after eating their fill. More beetles had to be brought in. eventually the man died, but it remained up to debate if it had been exposure or the beetles that had killed him, it was hard to tell.

Parasitic wasps were tried next, stinging then laying their eggs in the victim, the larva eating him for the next week. Sort of boring, really.

The last few were simply decapitated by a guillotine. Gaara loved it when the blood gushed out, the way the crimson droplets hit the sand, and the way the colors blended. A little red made everything better.

Hinata didn't want to see her former clan members die, so she didn't attend. She had said her goodbyes at the end of the sentencing hearing. However, that didn't mean she wasn't busy. She had been working hard, learning to use her chakra. Since it had been years since the last time she had used it, the therapy left her sore and stiff, but she wanted to do it. She needed to. She needed to be worthy of Gaara.

He had accepted her for who and what she was, and never pushed her too hard, but she didn't feel that she was good enough for him. She worshiped him; he was her hero, her knight, her prince. He was also, in some ways, the most terrifying thing she had ever encountered. She had seen the bodies of his foes, both on the battle field and in the torture chamber, the latter being the first time she had ever seen him. She had seen how casual he had been while torturing his foe, and she had known that, at that moment, he probably would have gone after her next, if he had felt any pressing need. It was sheer dumb luck that he had decided to let the guards handle it. It was also sheer dumb luck that she had broken into his house. The only real reason he had spared her, at first, was curiosity. She had fascinated him, even if her treatment at the hands of her family had shocked him.

Even though he had become slightly fond of her that first day, she knew better. If she had done anything to cause him to believe that she was an enemy or a spy, then he would have shredded her on the spot. But she hadn't, and, despite herself, she had made him into her hero during those first three days. She had pleased him, in some way, so he kept her around and was actually very affectionate towards her. It wasn't until the fiasco at Tanzuka that she realized that he was so violent when he was angry, and that his anger could endure for so long. In the end, though, he had come around, reassured her, and protected her. She knew that he cared about her, and that he was never going to hurt her like that again, but something was troubling her.

Ever since that night, when she had woken up to her first cycle, he had been different. It was more pronounced when she bled, like she was now, and it worried her. He wouldn't stay with her for the entire night, not like he used to, and he seemed to be avoiding physical contact. Oh, he still gave her a hug, and he cuddled her, but it wasn't like he used to. When she bled, he didn't cuddle her at all. Did she disgust him? Had she failed him in some way? What had changed? It was unsettling, and she didn't know what to do, so she trained. Hard. She was in the middle of training right now, under the midday sun. She knew it was probably not the smartest thing in the world, but how else was she to get better?

So she wondered as she continued to use her chakra, pushing it through her fingertips. It burned like liquid fire, and then it would get unbelievably cold. Her muscles had begun to spasm, and they were cramping. Her legs didn't want to support her, and, soon enough, they couldn't, and she collapsed on the burning sand. She struggled to rise, but she couldn't. That was when she felt it. She could always feel his piercing gaze, and she looked up, and around, but couldn't find him. That was when his shadow fell over her. She looked up again, into his eyes. He looked down at her with disapproval, his arms crossed in front of him. She bit her lip, trying to keep from crying, and she struggled again to rise, but she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried.

"You know better, Hinata." She flinched as he scooped her up, not liking his tone. How angry was he? He began to walk home.

"You know that it is far too hot during the afternoon for people to be outside for any length of time, let alone train. Pushing yourself in this heat will not make you stronger; it will probably kill you instead. You need to get it through that stubborn head of yours that you will not become a powerful shinobi overnight. You haven't even made it through therapy yet. Be patient, just what are you trying to prove?" he scolded her as he made his way to his house. She cringed; she didn't like it when he scolded her…

She was set on his bed, and he was wiping her face with a cool cloth. It felt good.

"You're overheated, another few minutes out there and you would have had heatstroke. You're not to go outside for the rest of the day. Lie down and cool off, better yet, fill me in, what's bothering you? You haven't acted like this in a long time. Don't cringe, I'm not going to hurt you, you know that, right?" he tilted her face so that he could see her eyes. Lavender opals, such beauty…she was…crying?

He pulled her into his arms, trying to calm her. He gently rubbed her back, whispering soothing words in her ear, and kissing her eyes. He handed her a notepad, and, with some difficulty, was able to find out what was the problem.

_Have I failed you?_

"No, Little One, never. What makes you think that?"

_Do you find me disgusting?_

"Of course not, why would you think that!?"

_You don't touch me, not like you used to, and I don't understand; what did eye do wrong? I hurt at night, I'm all alone-_

"Stop, I think I get it, you're upset because I don't cuddle you as much?" she nodded, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Ah, well, the reasoning behind that is a bit, complicated. It's not your fault, it's mine, you see, well, Shizune told you about, um, the uh, the birds and the bees?" she looked confused now. "You know, when you, ah, had your first cycle? The whole reproductive thing?"

_You want to give me babies?_

"Ah! No! Well, maybe not yet, but, she didn't tell you about the fact that you can have sex just for the pleasure of it?! Damn it, I thought she did, this is her job…"

_She said that it hurts the first time; does this mean you want to hurt me?_ She was a little frightened now.

"No! Never! I just, well, you, I find you very, ah, look, you are a very beautiful girl, Hinata, and I find you very attractive. You tempt me, you see, and now that you're healthy, there's no real reason to deny myself anymore. I've been a little distant, because, well, I don't want to frighten you or pressure you. When you are ready- I've just confused you more, haven't I?" she nodded.

_Does this mean you're not mad at me or anything?_

"I'm not mad, there's nothing you can really do about it anyway."

_Okay, but what about my cycle? You're always more distant when I have it._

This time Gaara leaned in close, nuzzled her neck, and gently nipped at it.

"You smell delicious, and I want you even more," he growled softly in her ear, but then he pulled back. She was blushing furiously, and unused to the strange sensations sweeping through her body. With difficulty, she managed to write out another question.

_Can we still cuddle? I miss you…_

"Yes, just let me know if I scare you or make you uncomfortable, alright?" she nodded, and snuggled deep in his arms, feeling much better. Gaara, however, was positive that he was going insane.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-five

Yeah, sorry about the long wait, I actually had the last chapter typed up for a while; I just never had a chance to spell-check it for a while. I do want to get one thing out of the way: I will not be doing a descriptive scene about Gaara and Hinata having sex, because I feel it would detract from the way I have their relationship. It would make it less special, no matter what Shukaku might say in this chapter. In fact, I feel he does enough when it comes to talking. Oh, and Hinata is going to be a little mischievous, poor Kisame.

She didn't really like Temari, no matter how hard she tried. She was just so mean to her, all the time. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she improved, she always had some snide comment for her. Gaara complimented her, and so did the others. Kankuro didn't really care, unless she was cooking. Then she became his favorite person in the world. Other than that, he was almost as bad as Temari, calling her names like shrimp, or worse. Kisame put an affectionate spin on his names, and he called her them just to set her off because he liked the attention. Kankuro actually meant the insult. Of course, neither one of the siblings dared to do so in Gaara's presence.

She was sick of it. Temari and Kankuro had been pampered all their lives, they didn't understand pain and suffering like her and Gaara did. They made her so mad, the way that they trivialized her pain, and the way that they belittled her, but she never told Gaara any of it, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. No, she would handle them herself. She had her chakra back, and she was good at using it. Her chakra control was one of the best in the village, second only to Gaara. So she did the only logical thing: she challenged them both to a match. Gaara was attending, mostly because he was worried about her, but he didn't let his siblings see him. He wanted to see what she could do.

"Well well, looks like the mouse finally came out of her hole," Temari said with a sneer as she whipped her fan open. Kankuro was wielding both the crow and the black ant (I can't remember how to spell Crow's Japanese name, so I'll just make them both in English, that should avoid any confusion. In fact, I will probably use most of the English names, just to avoid confusion. It also gives spell check a break; it wants to turn sabako soso into sabayon so-so, whatever that is.)

"Ya know, you're pretty stupid, it was dumb of you to challenge one of us, let alone both. What are you, some kind of retard, or are you just dumb?" oh yes, Kankuro thought he was so clever, ever since someone told him that dumb also meant the inability to speak, well, she would show him, she would show them both. Unlike Gaara, neither one of them could throw a punch to save their life. Once she got in close, she'd nail them! Then they'd see who was weak!

Temari leaped into the air, trying to hit Hinata with a downward gust of wind, anticipating that she would leap back towards Kankuro and his puppets. The trouble was; Hinata rarely did what you thought she would do, instead leaping forward and back flipping onto her back. She sealed off Temari's chakra in her legs, but Temari never felt a thing, and knocked her off with little effort. Hinata rolled to her feet, remaining in a defensive crouch, knowing that Kankuro would be sending his puppets after her soon. She flung a kunai at him, with a senbon hidden in its shadow. He dodged the kunai, but the senbon caught him in his elbow, striking a pressure point. His left arm was numb now, and wouldn't respond to his commands.

Suddenly there was an explosion of green smoke, and he smirked in triumph.

"That's it, it's all over, that smoke stops your chakra flow, you're finished!" he laughed at her.

"That's right girlie; no ninja can fight without chakra! You might as well quit!" Temari joined him in his laughter, but then slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Kankuro yelped in surprise, then pain. His fingers couldn't move. The little bitch had cut his tendons. Hinata paused in front of him, looking rather smug, right before she smacked him on the head with the hilt of a kunai, knocking him unconscious. Gaara chuckled as he walked up to her, pulling her back into his chest.

"Idiots, they should have paid more attention to your past. It never occurred to them that, to you, chakra is just a bonus. You've lived most of your life without being able to use it. Besides, you don't need chakra to use pressure points. Well, I'd better get them into the infirmary, coming?" she nodded happily. She needed an antidote for the poison anyway, and besides, she wasn't done with them yet.

While they were unconscious, she used a marker to write on their foreheads "Who's the dummy now?" twice, one reading normally, the other so that they could read it if they looked in a mirror. She also had Deidara dress Kankuro in a pink mini skirt, with a frilly pink shirt. She applied the make up, so he had pink lipstick, blush, and eye shadow. Temari's hair was died green, but it was the kind that would wash out. They were then posed in a very compromising position, with one of her legs wrapped around him, and his arm slung over her waist. Pictures were then taken, and Gaara had one made into a poster with the caption: AND THEY CALL ME STRANGE? He hung it in his office. The others were either framed or stuck in an album. Gaara couldn't have been more proud. Shukaku thought it was a riot.

_**You mean she actually did that?! That's fuckin' hilarious! **_

___I know! I made a poster from the picture. It's hanging in my office. The elders don't approve, but they can just suck it up, I think it's awesome._

_**Nice. So, have you done it yet with her?**_

___No, shut up, she is clearly not ready, no matter how tempting she is._

_**So, what part do you like best? Personally, I'm a thigh demon, best part to kiss, how about you?**_

___I don't know, she's tasty at any angle, but I think her neck and collar look particularly appetizing, but it could be something completely different tomorrow, now that I've told you, you have to shut up._

_**That wasn't a part of the deal! There was no deal! Dick-eater, you suck it up and go ravish that maiden! You both need it, and I want grandkids, or nephews, or, hey, what would your kids be to me? I really have no idea.**_

___Shut up, you're their aunt, now fuck off._

_**I AM NOT A WOMAN, YOU TRANNY-LOVING SHIT-FACE!**_

___That can be changed, besides, you sound like a chick to me. You're unusually cranky, is it your time of the month?_

_**FUCK YOU! JERK, YOU PROBABLY HAVE NO DICK, THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS ACT LIKE THIS, YOU'RE JEALOUS OF MY GOODS!**_

___Actually, mine's bigger than yours, so you must be suffering from penis envy. Must be a female-demon thing, at least I don't have to worry about that from Hinata!_

_**You suck; you are the suckiest sucker that ever sucked! Sucker!**_

___Dip shit._

_**Dweeb.**_

___Menstruating bitch._

_**Jerk-off.**_

___Big fat hen._

_**I am not fat! Prick!**_

___Oh that's right, you're just bloated, heh heh._

_**You son of a-you know what? You suck, you're mean, and I don't have to take this, you make me cry! Does that make you happy?!**_

___You have no idea._

Shukaku left in a huff, and Gaara smirked triumphantly.

Meanwhile, Kisame was in a spot of trouble. Someone had rigged a trip line that somehow landed him in the toilet, literally. Now his butt was stuck and it was cold and wet. That someone was Hinata, who had paused to wave at him triumphantly. He couldn't believe it. No one was helping him! Orochimaru had been so frickin' drunk that he almost peed on him! Itachi had just leaned against the door frame and chuckled at him. Deidara and Sasori laughed at him.

A door slammed. Great, Gaara was home! He would help him, right?

"What the hell are you doing in the toilet?"

"Your little guppy rigged a trap! I'm stuck! Get me out, I almost got peed on!"

Gaara cracked up, and left him. Kisame screamed in frustration. Itachi, Sasori, and Deidara came in.

"Dude, un, we're gonna help you out, un. Let's grab his arms, and then yank him out, un." Itachi and Sasori yanked on him while Deidara shoved him from behind. Kisame didn't budge.

"okay, maybe-aha! It's his pants! If we cut them off, he'll slide right out."

"Okay, Sasori, start cutting."

"This sucks! Why does this always happen to me?! it's like I'm cursed!"

"Don't whine, un! It's just her way of telling you that she likes you!"

"Bull shit! She thinks it's funny! I'm a toy to her!"

"Yeah, you're not coming out, we need to cut off your boxers too, then we'll pour oil on you, that should work."

"No! Not my Finding Nemo boxers! Spare them!"

"Oh, look Itachi, they really are Finding Nemo boxers, bit obsessive, don't you think?"

"Yeah, unscrew the seat, maybe that's what's caught on him."

The seat was then unscrewed, and they oiled the rim of the toilet. This time he came loose with a loud sucking sound, followed by a pop. The toilet seat was worked loose; then reattached.

"Wow, un, she got you good. Hey, where'd Gaara go?"

"I don't know, the last time I saw him he was laughing at me because my ass was stuck in the shit puddle! He lets her get away with everything!"

"Yeah, but she's cuter that you, so she's automatically immune to punishment."

"Shut up, Sasori, I know that already. Maybe I'll just hot glue her panties to the wall…"

"No, that'll piss them both off! Besides, what if some pervert comes after her?!"

"shut up, Itachi, she deserves some humiliation, she always picks on me-"

"Because you deserve it, dumb ass, besides, this is a good thing! Remember when we first saw her? She was scared of her own shadow! Now she's kickin' Temari and Kankuro's asses!" Needless to say, Sasori was excited.

"Yeah, yeah, leave me alone." Kisame trudged off. The others followed suit.

Meanwhile, Gaara was in his bedroom massaging Hinata's back. He was quite good, judging from the happy little sighs he was getting. Her back was tight and stiff from her fight, and besides, a little bit of relaxing was good for them both. He knew she would return the favor, as soon as he was done. He was working slowly, going from the shoulders down to her waist, then up her spine to the base of her neck, only to work his way back down again. He chuckled at her; her expression of pure bliss was so cute…

Eventually, it was his turn, so he yanked off his shirt and obediently lay down on the bed. She straddled his back, and began to gently, shyly even, to stroke his skin. His flawless body was almost intimidating, at first, but she began to kneed the stiff muscles, and was encouraged by his purring. She didn't know of anyone being able to purr until she met him. She knew he had been under a lot of stress as of late, there was unrest in the sound village, and the land of lightning had been giving him trouble as well. He needed to relax, and besides, she liked having him all to herself.

The door banged open. Hinata jumped, and looked at the intruder reproachfully.

"Kankuro, I told you to knock. This had better be important," he let the unfinished threat hang in the air, not even bothering to look at him.

"She's a spy! She has to be! Someone's been leaking shit to the sound ninja!"

"Shut up, you know that it isn't Hinata, I already know who it is, and I've taken steps. Get out; you have your own place. Oh, and one more thing: if I ever catch you or Temari harassing Hinata again, not only will you be demoted, I'll peel the flesh from your bones. I let her handle it her way today, next time I won't be so generous. Go."

"But-"

"GO!"

"O-okay…" he left quickly. He still hadn't been able to get the marker off his face.

Hinata cuddled into Gaara, who returned her affections. His hands found her waist, and he nibbled at her neck, causing her to squirm; she was very ticklish, and he routinely exploited this fact. But he was feeling a little more…romantic…tonight, and his nibbles turned to gentle kisses. Nothing too passionate, just tender, he wanted to get her used to the idea of having that kind of relationship first.

"My precious one," he sighed in her neck, causing her to shiver slightly. His possessiveness could be frightening, but he was never violent or abusive in anyway towards her, it was other people that she worried about. As far as he was concerned, she was his, and no one else had the right to touch her without going through him first. A foreign nin had found that out the hard way, he had been lucky that all he had suffered was a broken wrist.

Yes, he could be frightening, but he was always so kind and sweet to her, he was, really, the first person to ever want her, or appreciate her, and she couldn't bear to be without him now. She liked being his. He kept her warm, and safe. He made her healthy and strong. He chased away all of her fears, real or imagined. But this new behavior made her a little nervous, she knew now that he viewed her as something more than a friend, and that he found her attractive. This was new to her, and she was afraid, and ashamed, of her inexperience. He was the first person to ever touch her in such a way.

He cupped her throat, and nuzzled under her chin, his playful purrs tickling her, much to his amusement. He pulled her into his arms and fell backward on the bed. He shifted to the side a little, and had his sand pull the covers over them. She had had a long day, and it was time to rest.

Many miles away, the rogue sound ninja were blissfully unaware that they were walking into a trap laid by Gaara. Itachi and Sasori were waiting for them, and they were down with one fell swoop, along with the traitor. Sakura.

Yeah, this chapter is later than I wanted, but I have a good excuse! Not only am I hardly ever able to get on the computer, but I had my wisdom teeth pulled out on Monday, April 14. I was under anesthesia, and when I woke up, my mom made fun of me because I was loopy! But she got me my special ice cream, so all is forgiven. Heheh, see you next chapter!


	26. Chapter 26

Ummm, yeah, I really don't like Sakura and Ino, especially in my story thus far, they just beg me to give them a horrible death

1st thing is that i love ur writing style. 2nd thing is that i had to quite reading in t middle of ch. 2 because of the fact that orochimaru is the only 1 whoknows theursed seal. also madraa kicked the1st hikage's ass plus the entire akatsuki's asses what the hell were u thinking letting him die to a beefed up racoon made of sand. straitin out ur facts man. also each member is kage+ lv. so thats 10 kage+lv. ninja on te same team. they r unbeatable, especilly pein and maadra uchia.yeah, IceBishop.

Did you not read my warning on my first chapter? I consider this a flame. If you watched/read the series, you would notice that there are practically an infinite amount of jutsus, and it wouldn't be that hard for a high level ninja, like Gaara, to make a new curse mark similar to the sealing jutsu of the Hyuuga. Also, I never specified how Gaara took them all out, now did I? However, logic would have that he didn't take them all out at the same time, duh. Also, this is my story; I'll make Gaara however strong I want. I thought that it was a no brainer that this story was sort of an alternate-universe, because Hinata didn't become a ninja until after she met up with Gaara, duh again. In fact, the evidence of said alternate universe style was in the first chapter, since in the series, Gaara's father was killed by Orochimaru, who also more or less killed the third Hokage, yet in here Gaara killed his father, and Sarutobi is still alive and kicking, duh yet again. There are lots of authors that change events in the series that they write about, it's what makes writing fan fiction so fun, duh number four. I don't really care if you are a Maadra fan, or a fan of any of the other characters I killed off in my story. I wonder what you have against Gaara, but a guess there's no accounting for taste, is there?

Now then, on to what I was thinking when I wrote this story, I was thinking that it would be an interesting deviation from other Gaara and Hinata stories, not that the others are bad, I thoroughly enjoy reading most of them. I thought that people would be entertained by it. I must be doing something right, considering all of the positive feedback I have received from other readers. Fifth duh, now then, on to your deplorable grammar; I'm not saying I'm perfect, far from it, but yours really sucks. I don't know if you're too lazy to hit the spacebar, or if you forgot how to spell the word 'curse', or any of the other spelling mistakes, but, seriously, type the review so I don't have to read it three times just to figure out what you were trying to say. That would be duh number six, hmm; you have quite a few of those, don't you? Here's more: raccoon has two 'c's, the has a 'h' between the 't' and the 'e', Hokage is spelled with an 'o', not an 'i', t is not a word, I think you meant 'the', Shukaku is more than just a beefed up raccoon, he is a demon, or sand spirit, whichever you prefer, and straighten is spelled this way, a strait is a narrow channel connecting two bodies of water, or a position of great difficulty, as in dire straits. Try to pay more attention to your English teacher, and straighten out your facts, man!

One more thing, how can you claim to like my writing style but seem to hate everything about my story? Since this is my first story, and so far my only, you don't really have anything else from me to compare it to, so this leads me to believe that your first comment was a desperate attempt to prevent me from picking apart your review. In closing, I must cite the golden rule that all readers should follow: if you don't like it, don't read it. I have read plenty of stories that I don't like, and do you know what I did? I simply stopped reading it, and moved on to another story, without leaving a stupid review. It wasn't that they were bad authors; their stories were simply not for me. So, IceBishop, either broaden your horizons and understanding of the story, or move on, whichever is easier, I don't care, and I'm not changing anything about my story, especially now that I'm almost done, just to satisfy you. While I'm at it, here's another Gaahina story that is auish: the Love Therapist, by .heartSilk, which is great, but you wouldn't know, because you seem to hate au stories. Sucks to be you, doesn't it? Someone let this grammatically challenged person know about my response, I don't feel like changing the content in my previous chapters, thank you.

I really don't like Sakura and Ino, especially in my story thus far, they just beg me to give them a horrible death. Is there anyone who agrees with me? Let me hear you in a review! Ok, chapter 26, onwards we go!

Chapter Twenty-six

Gaara was not happy. More to the point, he was pissed off. The damn ANBU just had to let the elders know about his little scheme involving the captured sound ninja and Pink Bitch. (AKA Sakura) and the village elders couldn't wait four hours until the sun had actually risen and everyone in his house was up to whine about the lack of answers on the matter. Itachi and Sasori had sealed the prisoners' jutsus, and had locked them in the dungeon after drugging them. It wasn't as if they were going anywhere. In fact, the pair had just taken a shower and were about to get a little sleep when the elders had come banging on his door. Said elders were now gathered around him and were yammering something about security risks and terrorist plots and prostitutes roaming the streets. The first two concerns seemed legitimate, but the last was retarded. Everyone knew that prostitutes didn't walk the streets in Suna. What kind of idiots were these geezers? Prostitutes stayed in brothels. It was warmer there, duh. (In Suna, like in Nevada, prostitution is legal, but heavily scrutinized by the health dept. and other legal areas. Don't ask me why, it just is. Gaara kept it this way because it was healthier. All prostitutes had to be adults and have a license, and to get the license, you have to have a clean bill of health. Moving on)

"Look, I don't care about the damn hookers; they're probably all still asleep, like most people are _at three in the morning. _Go home. I'll deal with the prisoners in a few hours."

"But what about the children, they're in danger! We need to evacuate-"

"SHUT UP! The children are fine, it is just a handful of prisoners, and they're drugged and locked up. This is less of a danger than when I had all of those Hyuugas running around, and you never complained then! Now beat it! Get out of my house!"

"But-"

"GO!" They all filed out, grumbling amongst themselves. Gaara sighed and walked into the kitchen, where Hinata was sipping chamomile tea sweetened with honey. He used his sand to pick her up and deposit her on his lap. The tea was sat on the table in front of her. She snuggled into his arms sleepily.

"Damn elders, they couldn't wait four hours."

Scritch scratch. _What's all the fuss about?_

"Some prisoners, only four, and that Sakura girl, they were caught near the outskirts of the village, I'm wondering if the village is going to split."

_Why bother catching them? They don't seem like a threat._

"They are if they're spying. I actually set them up; I knew that the girl was a contact. You see, the- well, how much do you know about the sound village?"

_Not much, just that Orochimaru, Kimimaro and Kabuto were from there._

"Alright, I'll start from the beginning. Almost two decades ago, now that is, Orochimaru left the village hidden in the leaves. While he was gone, he began to gather followers, who shared his ambitions of toppling the leaf village and sending the other villages into war. Most of his followers were, and still are, missing nins from other villages. Kimimaro, for example, was originally from the hidden mist village, and Sasuke from your former village, Konoha. About five years ago, I did battle with the Akatasuki, knowing that they would eventually come after me. Four survived, and they surrendered to me and became a part of the sand village. You know them already: Itachi, Sasori, Kisame and Deidara. I defeated Orochimaru about a year or so later. In order to save himself, and his village, I suppose, he also surrendered. Thus, sound and sand became allies. This was way before the war between sand and leaf, which was before we even met, Dove. Are you with me so far?"

She nodded. _You are an amazing Ninja! I wish I could be as strong as you! _He allowed himself a moment to preen, after all, who didn't like getting praise from a cute girl?

"Don't you worry, my strength is your strength; I will always come to your aid. Now then, back to the topic at hand. Ever since Orochimaru has allied himself with me, there has been dissention amongst his followers. Few people like the idea of following a demon anyway, so that wasn't really a surprise. Now that Kabuto is dead, the village seems ready to split. He was rather popular amongst them, but I still can't figure out why. It must be the type of people that our little snake seems to attract; strong bodies, weak minds. They're like sheep, you know, they'll do anything you tell them to, even if it doesn't make sense. Now then, on to the spies, they are from the group that hates the fact that Orochimaru is forced to obey me. Sakura also hates me, but I'm not sure why, other than the fact that I'm not human, she was like this from the start. Well, not my problem, I don't like her either, she's bitchy and she smells bad, you are much prettier than her, in every aspect, from manners to hygiene and looks. Anyways, I have to catch them before they become a threat; although the whole situation is a powder keg, their capture probably will be the thing that sets it off. If those ANBU would have just kept their mouths shut…" He rubbed his temples. She nuzzled into him, craving the attention.

He had a lot to think about, while he was cuddling her. He wondered when he had become so completely wrapped around her finger, for one, and how a bunch of senile old windbags had managed to become the council that he hated. Shouldn't there be a psychological exam or something? More importantly, when were they going to retire? At least Sarutobi (who had joined his council and acted as his advisor after the war.) had stayed in bed. Then again, he wasn't a senile old windbag…he was just a grumpy old man.

A few hours later, at around seven in the morning, said grumpy old man came by for a visit. Hinata was cooking breakfast, and everyone else, including Gaara's quartet, was sitting around the table, trying to figure out what the hell they were going to do.

"Hey punk, I heard that you threw some more people in that pit that you call a dungeon, why?"

"Good morning to you too, Sarutobi san, yes I did, they were spies, and my dungeon is not a pit, it is the most advanced prison among the five nations, and it kicks the Leaf's ass, so don't diss it, you pompous old windbag."

"I am not a pompous old windbag, you punk! Hey, that smells good, get me breakfast, and all will be forgiven."

"Yeah, yeah, you're just too lazy to cook for yourself."

Oh yes, Gaara and the Third had a very…unique…relationship. They insulted each other because they could; it was a strange way to show affection. Sarutobi came over frequently after meetings and such to eat and whatever. Kisame thought it was funny, especially when he shared stories from when Orochimaru was a student. Meals were often a chaotic affair, with the whole family gathered around the table and tossing random things at each other. Each person took turns cooking for the day, and today it was Hinata's turn. She liked to make foreign food, and she made a mean giant omelet. With ham, chipotle cheddar cheese, Colby-jack cheese, and other secret spices, it was a treat. Top it off with warm, freshly-baked homemade muffins, and you had the best breakfast you could possibly get, and it was your own fault if you left hungry. Hinata heated her giant skillet and poured in her two dozen scrambled eggs, which were making a nice sizzling sound. She took out the muffins (today they were cinnamon-streusel, very tasty with butter) and carefully popped them out of their little trays. Deidara impatiently made a grab for one, only to have his hand slapped by her. She wagged a finger at him, pointing to the steam rising from them.

"But they're the best when they're still hot, un! I'm hungry!"

_Wait a minute, they need to cool or you'll burn yourself! Go get your coffee!_

He grumbled a bit, but did as he was told. When he got back, he had a plate piled high with the tasty morsels, and a tub of butter shoved into his free hand, and was sent out of the kitchen. Shouts of approval met his entrance to the dinning room.

"Yeah! She made those thingies! I like those thingies! OH SHIT CRACKERS, THE'RE HOT! OW OW OW! BURNING FINGERS! OUCH!"

"Tone it down, Kisame, and just put the muffin down, the burning will stop, dumb ass."

"Shut up, Sasori; stop rolling your eyes, Itachi, you jerk! Hey! I was eating that! Gimme my muffin back, you Michael Jackson wannabe!"

"Ya snooze, ya lose, fish-boy!"

A loud series of bangs were heard as they fought over the muffins. Hinata shook her head as she carefully flipped the omelet. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and Gaara was nuzzling into her neck.

"Good morning again, my sweet, that looks tasty."

She beamed up at him and put the cheeses and diced ham on the center of the eggs, folded it so that it looked like a fat square, and carefully slid it onto a plate. Gaara carried the juice and the tea, while Hinata carried her masterpiece. Shukaku trudged down, scratching his head, and immediately grabbed for the coffee. Breakfast was served, and everyone sat down for some seriously noisy eating, mostly due to the shouting and the flinging of muffins to various people.

"Hinata makes the best eggs, un, mine are always weird shaped. That's why I always make oatmeal, because it's supposed to look obscene, un."

"Oh, shut up, oatmeal doesn't look obscene; it's just white mush, although your muffins look like crap. You could play hockey with them. Hinata's are always moist and tasty, though, mmm! Gimmie another one, numb nuts!"

"Oatmeal does too look obscene, Sasori! It looks like old c-"

"Not at the table, Deidara."

"But Gaara-"

"I don't wanna hear it! Shut up and eat! Here's your muffin, Puppet-Boy."

Gaara chucked a muffin at Sasori's head, who caught it and shoved it in his mouth, a muffled thanks barely escaping.

"You know, this takes me back, when I took out my squad for a special treat for accomplishing a mission. Do you know what Jiraiya did? He had somehow managed to convince Orochimaru to spy on the Tsunade when she went into the women's locker room at the hot spring to change!"

"Sarutobi sensei, don't, please-"

"Well, they got caught, of course, because Jiraiya started giggling, and they started to panic, so Orochimaru pretended to be a woman so he wouldn't get beat up-"

"Stop it, you evil old buzzard!"

"And it would've worked too! Except that his towel fell off while he was walking, so, naturally, Tsunade pointed him out to the other ladies, and they all went after him, but as he rounded the corner, he used a transformation jutsu to hide himself, and he escaped, but then he got locked in-"

"You suck…"

"So we had to come back, in the middle of the night, to break him out, and then we had to escape from the place before the guards realized we were there. Tsunade and Jiraiya got in a fight at the gate, so we had to come up with something quick, and do you know what we came up with?"

"I hate you…"

"We had Orochimaru pretend to be a hooker and solicit the guards to buy us time! After about five minutes they were trying to have a three-way! They even offered to pay extra! We had to set off some fireworks so he could escape! It was one of the funniest things that ever happened to me!"

"Yeah, and I learned a very important lesson: don't ever let that pervert talk you into anything, it will only cause you trouble."

"I thought you were gay!"

"I am, Kisame!"

"Then what the hell were you doing spying on chicks?"

"I wanted to steal Tsunade's panties and auction them off. People pay good money for that, you know."

"Heh, wow, that's just wrong, if you do get a pair, call me, I want to glue them on my office door."

"Why, Gaara?"

"It'll piss off the elders. Speaking of which, I have to get to the office, and you need to get to the lab. Kisame, you and Itachi need to prep the prisoners for interrogation, don't let the slut fool you; she's not as innocent as she would have you believe. Deidara, you mentioned something about a new bomb?"

"Yeah, un! It has these pellets that have concentrated sulfuric acid in them; the heat from the explosion melts the outer layer, and the force of the explosion propels them outward, where they split open on the first thing they hit, causing chaos and mass destruction! It'll be a blast, un! Pun intended, un!"

"Alright, are they ready for their first test?"

"Yeah, un, I just need help setting up the dummies and such. I have three different ones to try; smaller ones used in assassinations, medium for combat, and large for a bigger assault, like a village, or a terrorist foxhole. They could be useful if the issues with Sound go _really _sour, un."

"Yeah, well, just between you guys and me, it looks like we may be headed in that direction. Orochimaru, any clue on who could be leading them?"

"Not yet, Kimimaro is too loyal to me, and Sasuke wouldn't be stupid enough to risk his training on a foolish endeavor like this."

"I would hope not, Sasori, give Deidara a hand, will you? See you later. Sarutobi and I have to try to talk some sense into those idiots that seem to think they are in charge." He gave Hinata a kiss on the cheek, then headed out. She had her own things to worry about today, such as what she was going to fix for dinner, and she had to help make healing ointment for the hospital, they were trying to stockpile some in the event that Suna had to go to war again. Everyone knew that she made the best ointment, with most of the ingredients coming from the plants that she personally grew in her greenhouse that Gaara had built for her. So off she went, to gather her supplies before it got unbearably hot.

A pot was now simmering over low heat on the stove. She had to watch it carefully; if the mixture got too hot, the plants would be destroyed, and their valuable essences ruined, if it failed to heat up enough, they wouldn't even release the oil in the first place, and the other ingredients would fail to set up. she also had to stir it, to prevent it from scorching and to make sure it heated evenly, but she couldn't use too much force, that would cause it to remain a sticky, syrupy mess instead of forming the creamy texture that it needed. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it. If it was made correctly, it prevented infection, killing off bacteria, viruses, and fungi, while it also speeded up cell division in the area, making the wound close faster. It even prevented most scars from forming. It was good stuff, and it was her unique creation.

Alright, it was done, now all she had to do was ladle it into jars and let them cool. One by one they were filled up and placed on a towel that was laid out flat on the counter. After about thirty minutes, they were cool enough to be labeled and wrapped in towels, then placed in a large backpack that was hefted onto her back. She then began to make her way to the hospital, about a mile away. It was boiling hot outside, and the lack of wind seemed to make thing worse. The streets were empty at this hour, people usually stayed indoors at this time of day, just to avoid the heat. However, she made good time and was soon inside the hospital, and out of the horrid heat. She sighed in relief as she headed over to the reception desk, signing in and filling out the proper forms, a copy of which would soon find its way to Gaara's desk, much to his dismay. Knowing this, she drew a little smiley face by her signature, her way of saying hello from afar, or from a sheet of paper.

A nurse came over and helped her unload her ointment, and together they unpacked and stored it in a cool, dry place, as required. The seventy-five jars were added to the number already in storage, bringing the number up to over three hundred. Hinata smiled her thanks at the nurse, who gave her a bottle of water and a small lunch made up of a sandwich and a pear for her trouble.

As she headed out, Hinata became aware that she was being followed. That in and of itself was not unusual; many of the village children knew her, and would seek her out to fix the skinned knees and bruised heads that was the typical result of their games. So she slowed, and carefully extended her senses, and detected, not children, but three of Gaara's jonin following her. This was unusual, and she turned to confront them.

"Heh, well lookie here, guys, we got ourselves a pretty one!" the center one hiccupped. Great, make that three drunken jonin. She backed up a bit. She wasn't sure if she could handle three jonin, even if they were drunk. The big one on the left went in for a grope, but she danced lightly out of the way.

"C'mon, girlie, don't be a tease."

She slapped his hands away, glaring at them. If they were sober, they never would have risked Gaara's wrath and treated her this way, everyone knew how possessive he was. Sake made people stupid, and stupidity could be dangerous, so she opted to run away, flipping up and over their heads and scrambling off. She could hear their feet pounding behind her, so she skidded and rapidly darted back towards them, kicking one in the knee, which dislocated it, causing the owner to howl in pain. The other two moved in, however, and one grabbed her arm, wrenching it painfully as the other one moved in front of her, and-

"Hey! That's my Guppy! Get your hands off of her!"

And Kisame came and knocked them all flat on their asses. More jonin came rushing to the area.

"My, my, what's going on here?"

"Kakashi, these three numbskulls were harassing Guppy!"

"Who's 'Guppy'?" Kakashi peered out from behind his book.

"Hinata, hey, why don't you stop reading your porn, and-hey, is that the new one?"

"Yeah, he's been really cranking them out since he got here, must be all of the local inspiration."

"Hey, as Deidara always says; beauty is the inspiration for greatness, and greatness is what legends are made of. I'm still now quite sure what he means by that, though, the only time he says it is when he's drunk."

"Yeah, well, wisdom often comes from strange places."

"What? Kakashi, what the hell is that supposed to mean? That's almost as bad as Shikamaru talking about wanting to be a cloud!"

"Asuma, your lazy student daydreaming and my pearls of wisdom are two different things."

"No they're not! You're both always saying weird shit, and you're both late to everything! You guys have to be related, in some weird way, are you his uncle or something?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Asuma, settle down, we have a victim here, you big guys are probably freaking her out! Hi honey, my name's Kurenai, what's yours?" Hinata gave her a long, slow blink; then looked at Kisame.

"Uh, yeah, she doesn't talk, but her name is Guppy." Hinata jumped up and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow! Fine, you little turd, her name is Hinata!" He massaged the back of his head. The red eyed jonin gave him a funny look. This Kisame was a lot different than the one she had met on the battlefield. He was, well, comical.

"Well, looks like you can handle yourself pretty well, you make sure you keep that oversized tadpole in line, okay? I have a mission, so I'll see you later."

Kakashi looked at Asuma, then back to Kisame.

"Seems to me that that girl has you whipped, Kisame, what's for dinner?"

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"We are joining you guys for dinner tonight! Gaara sama invited us! So, what is it?"

"I don't know, it's Guppy's night to cook, and she never reveals it, in fact, I have to go to the market to help her carry things, and you have to help! Believe it! No! I have become that brat! Damn it, I need to stop him from hanging around the academy!"

Asuma busted a gut while laughing, while Kakashi chuckled. Hinata hopped on Kisame's back, it was her big brother's job to give her a lift. He turned his head to regard her; then began to walk with the others to the market.

Finally! This chapter was particularly frustrating; I spent almost five days just trying to get those last few lines typed! It was all because I kept getting kicked off of the computer! You know, I would use the computer in my room, but it has no internet connection, so it would be pointless. They keep saying that they are going to run a cable to get me hooked up but do they? No! I mean, my computer is really slow, but at least I would be able to update like I want! Sheesh, I get all of these great lines in my head, and I get kicked off before I get to type them, so I have to hope and pray that I remember them all…the only reason this is getting posted today is because I'm home alone, so I actually get a chance to finish this chapter. Anyways, about my first author note, just click on my reviews to see it, if it doesn't show up on the first page of reviews, sort them by chapter, it's posted for chapter one. Like I said, this is my story, and I'll kill off whomever I want. That criticism was stupid, there's a difference between helpful, constructive criticism and that piece of trash up top. Hope IceBishop reads this, and realizes how stupid that was. Moving on, I will be ending this story soon, but there will be a sequel, so don't be sad. The sequel won't come out for a while, because I wasn't to work on some other stories first, but it will be coming, I promise. The title will be Angel Song, just so you know, and I hope you will enjoy it. I will be so glad when this election is over, then I can have some time to work on this, I used to do a chapter every two or three days, depending on the length. Three weeks really frustrates me. Anyways, sorry for the wait.


	27. Chapter 27

Thanks for agreeing with me, Domini-chan, although I will own up to misspelling Madara's name, I guess that shows you how often he will be showing up in my fics, huh

Thanks for agreeing with me, Domini-chan; although I will own up to misspelling Madara's name, I guess that shows you how often he will be showing up in my fics, huh? Yeah, well, I have a good excuse; I was going by what the moron wrote in the stupid review! I figured if you are a fan of a certain character, then you would know how to spell their names, right? Oh well, he's one in, like, a thousand, so I'm not going to worry overmuch with what he said, I just wanted to make good on my promise to post the flames and make comments on them. Readers please note; I didn't put Asuma's name in chapter nine because she didn't know who he was. You'll understand in a moment as you read. Okay, onwards with the chapter!

Chapter Twenty-seven

"Yo! What's for dinner! Chicken, beef, pork? C'mon, you have to give me somethin'!" Hinata grinned and shook her head no. Kisame pouted, damn it, he wanted to know! It was so unfair!

"Don't worry, Kisame, she has to buy the stuff, so maybe you can guess!" Kakashi didn't even bother to look up from his book. Asuma chuckled; he had forgiven the girl for knocking him out during that stormy night so long ago. (See chapter nine, read the part about the chloroform.) It was hard not to, she was so sweet! Besides, she was just doing her duty, just as he was doing his.

So they wandered the market, where Hinata began to pick out various fresh fruits and vegetables. She grew some of her own, but it was sometimes best to simply get them at the market, especially since hers weren't ready for harvest yet. Some of her herbs were, though, much to her delight. Kisame was handed the merchandise as it was paid for. Soon, he was desperately trying to balance boxes, baskets and bags, which were beginning to pile up. To help out, Kakashi and Asuma each took one bag. Hinata had scurried off to the butcher, who always gave her a discount and some of the best cuts he had. She smiled at him happily, and carted her various chunks of beef, pork, poultry and fish and piled it on Kisame, who almost became unbalanced. To help out, Kakashi and Asuma each took one bag, smirking at each other.

On the way home, they ran into Gaara, who was taking his lunch break. He helped Kisame by snagging a peach, which he promptly devoured. As they walked, he reached in again and got one for Hinata, who was on his back, piggy-back style, and poking Kisame in the head, knowing all too well that there wasn't a thing that he could do to stop her.

As they went inside the kitchen to drop off the groceries, Gaara fetched a quick snack and prepared to leave again. He gave Hinata a kiss on the cheek as he went out the door. She blushed, even as she smiled happily and skipped all the way back to the kitchen, where she found Shukaku and Kisame engaged in mortal combat with spoons. Asuma and Kakashi stayed well away from them, not wanting to be struck by flying silver wear. Hinata deftly worked her way around them, putting away the groceries. The two were so caught up in their fencing that they didn't notice the two jonin start taking bets from Chiko and Kameko, who had come to drop off some papers. However, all things must come to an end, and the battle was ended by Shukaku, who victoriously sent Kisame's spoon flying through the kitchen.

"Yield or perish, you foolish mortal." He held the spoon to his throat. Kisame yielded, and they both looked over to see money being exchanged. Shukaku put on a devilish grin. He strutted over to Chiko.

"Hello, gorgeous, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Did you miss me?"

"Only your money, honey." She gave him a wink and a saucy hip-shake. He smirked; then moved to put an arm around her, trying to pinch her butt in the process. She deftly moved away, which made him pout. Kakashi chuckled.

"So the rumors are true, you are a pervert."

"Heh, you're one to talk, Kakashi, you're always reading your porno!"

"Now that's not very nice, this is quality writing!"

"Is it really?"

"Yes! Here's the first book, you can return it to me when you're done! Take good care of it, it's a special edition."

"Cool! Thanks!" Shukaku carefully put it aside, before moving off to harass Hinata into giving him samples of what was for dinner. This resulted in him being dragged out to the greenhouse for some fresh herbs. She was making some sort of roast beef, with a rich broth. After gathering her fresh spices, our favorite raccoon was roped into getting the dried herbs, since Hinata was far too short to reach them. The meat was prepared and lowered into the homemade beef stock, which she had made last night. She peeled and sliced carrots, potatoes, turnips, and mushrooms, which were slid into the pan with the meat and dried herbs. It was then covered and put in the oven to slowly roast.

Next she began to prepare some of the shellfish, which where to be steamed and then chilled, with the exception of some of the fish. She didn't particularly like shrimp or crab, but she did like scallops. Those would be served hot. She began to work on the sushi, carefully preparing each and every individual piece. The sushi was then put in fridge to chill, along with the shrimp.

Now it was time for the special chicken-wonton soup; which Gaara had taught her how to make. Freshly-made pasta, he claimed, was the key, as was the homemade broth, which had to simmer, not boil, to enhance the delicate herbs. Her version was lighter than his, and milder. However, his broth was able to leave that wonderful feeling of warmth in the belly, and she knew it all too well. It was what she had eaten more often then not when she had been sick. Her noodles tended to be round, whereas his were bigger and looked more like actual wontons, but both were good, and they were justifiably proud of their soup. While it was simmering, she prepared the dessert, a homemade fruit salad, which was sprinkled with fruit saver and put in the fridge, covered of course, to chill. Fresh herbs went into the cheese balls and dips that she made, with fresh vegetables and crackers. Another dessert was made, a homemade berry pie, and chowder was made from a variety of shellfish, while the remaining fish was seasoned and seared to perfection. This was when Gaara and his guests arrived.

"Mmm! Something smells really good! You have been busy, haven't you, Dove? Need some help?" Gaara helped her serve the food. The first round was the dips with the crackers and raw vegetables. Iced tea was served to drink. The portions of food was kept small, so as to make sure everyone got to eat a little bit of everything. However, it was known everyone that if someone left hungry, it was their own fault. Hinata had cooked enough food to feed an army. The dips received many compliments, and Gaara particularly relished the spicy one made just for him.

Next was the sushi, served with sake. Some guests took the sake; others didn't, depending on their tastes. Hinata thought that she did a good job, and Gaara couldn't have been more pleased. She was an awesome cook. Naruto was babbling on and on about how they should come up with sushi flavored ramen, but was mostly ignored. He really got excited when she served the chowder, saying on and on that they should have chowder flavored ramen. The wonton soup was next, and he, yet again said that they needed a ramen that tasted like wonton soup.

"Yeah! And it could have wontons mixed with the noodles! Believe it, it would be the best ramen ever! Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"Shut up about the ramen! We get it, you like ramen, so stop going on and on about it! Just enjoy the food we're giving you, and compliment the cook, which is Hinata!" Itachi could only take so much, and had eventually thrown his bowl at him. Gaara chuckled.

"I love it when she cooks, un! Her food is tasty! Of course, Gaara's is really good too!" Hinata beamed in pleasure.

Next was everyone's favorite: the roast beef with the vegetables. No one knew how she managed to make it so tender and flavorful throughout the entire thing, but no one complained. It was always cooked to perfection, and the aroma had been wafting throughout the house for hours, causing many stomachs to growl and many mouths to water. Everyone dug in with relish, avoiding the topic that had brought them all here. They saved that for when the entire meal had been served, when everyone could pick at what remained at will. Sake and wine was drunk in extreme moderation, they all wanted a clear head.

The pie was a hit, as was the fruit salad. This meal was typical of how Hinata cooked; she always blended a wide array of cultures into her meals. As everyone sat around sipping their tea and nibbling at the remaining food, they reluctantly returned their attention to the problem at hand, the mystery leader of the Sound ninja who was causing all of the trouble. The flunkies had yet to confess, but Gaara had been going easy on them, showing them some of his tools in hopes of frightening them into giving up the information. Unfortunately, it seemed he was going to have to be a little more…forceful.

"Gaara san, it seems that there has been word of this problem in other villages. My sources tell me that mist ninja and cloud ninja have been seen around sound ninja. We could be looking at war between three different countries."

"Really? Sarutobi san, it seems that this headache has grown into a migraine. What about the other feudal lords? What are they pushing?"

"I am receiving mixed messages, some are still angry at you for the execution of your former feudal lord, while others fear you for it. Seeing how well your country is doing without them, they are worried that the people in their lands might try to rebel against them too, especially in the poorer nations."

"Hn, I think it's safe to say that we can expect no help from them, what about Tsunade?"

"She's still in the land of waves, going back and forth to the land of tea, Jirocho is a long time friend of you both, perhaps we can send a message to her through him."

"Yes, in the meantime, I'm calling back all of our shinobi, we will not be going on any missions outside of the land of wind, I don't want to lose them to ambushes in a distant land, where they might not have the ability to retreat. If this keeps up, we could have another Great War on our hands."

"Agreed, there's no time to lose, we need answers now! Too many lives are at stake here, we also need to bump up the training at the academy, and teach our civilians at least basic self-defense, God forbid that they would have to use it."

"Shikamaru! You will be aiding Itachi and Sasori in formulating plans for offensive and defensive strikes. Deidara, Kisame, go to the academy and give all of the students a crash course in war. Beef up their studies, and remember, they all have to pass their exams, every one of them. Lee, you will take over the citizens' defense classes. I want them all trained in the use of at least two weapons; one long range and one short. Hinata, you keep making our medical supplies, go to the hospital and recruit at least ten people to help you. Sarutobi san, I need you to calm the council down; I don't need them to do anything rash. Kakashi, you and three other jonin need to screen any and all foreigners that come through our gates; if any of them look even remotely suspicious, seize them and bring them to the dungeon for interrogation; my siblings and Baki will be handling that particular issue. Orochimaru, you and Kimimaro will be aiding me in the interrogation of our captives. Shizune, unless Hinata needs your help with something, I want you to get that hospital prepared for heavy casualties. All of this happens first thing in the morning, got it? We will be meeting here in the evenings from now on, and we will all be helping in the kitchen from now on; any one of us will probably be too tired to do it all alone."

"Oy! I want a job! Believe it!"

"Fine, you get to help Lee."

"Can we have ramen tomorrow? Believe it, I want it."

"Fine, you have to make it."

"But-"

"You want it, you make it. Period."

"Oh, alright, you're a jerk, believe it! Making ramen so frickin' expensive…"

"That's not my problem, believe it. Now shut up."

Braaaap.

"What the fuck was that?!"

"Eheheh, excuse me." Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Holy shit, what the hell crawled up your ass and died?!" Kisame recoiled away from the stench. Kiba ran to the bathroom to throw up. He already knew his job from before, so he wasn't missing anything, except for the killer fumes of doom emanating from Naruto's butt.

Hinata covered her nose and mouth, giving Naruto a reproachful look that somehow managed to look adorable. Gaara fought an overwhelming urge to gag, and used his sand to toss Naruto out the door.

"Don't come back in until you're finished!" He slammed the door shut, while Naruto scrabbled on the glass outside. A fan was brought in to blow the fumes away, and everything was eventually returned back to normal, and Naruto was finally allowed back in, with the fan blowing towards him, just in case.

Hinata scribbled something down on her note pad; then passed it to Gaara.

"Seriously? Well, alright, but you'll need help from the Aburame clan for that. It looks really gross, you know, but if it works, well, it would help out…" He was referring to the use of maggots to help clean wounds. It was gross, but most maggots only ate dead tissue, thus helping to clean wounds and prevent infection, especially with burns. They were also cheap and easy to produce and breed. Since the Aburame were insect specialists, they, along with a similar clan in Suna, would be providing the insects. Suna's clan really didn't specialize in insects so much as arachnids, particularly Suna's large poisonous scorpions and spiders. The two clans had hit it off immediately, and had built their homes next to each other.

Hinata wanted to gather live specimens of any and every toxic plant, fungus, and animal from not only Suna, but the other countries as well. It was ambitious, but it would beef up their weapons and medical departments. The samples would allow them to recognize and treat the victims of said organisms, whether contact was accidental or intentional. The biggest problem was transporting them. The harsh conditions of the dessert had to be taken into consideration, and methods were being developed to make sure the specimens made it through undamaged. The most challenging ones so far had been the sea snakes that Orochimaru had brought her, but they had made it, and were currently living in their rather spacious tanks in Gaara's basement, who still had mixed feelings about them. It wasn't that he disliked snakes; he actually was rather fond of them. It was just that, well, they were in giant salt-water tanks in his basement. Why did they have to take up so much space in his basement? Why couldn't they be somewhere else? To hasten their removal, he was having several old, run-down houses redone, to provide the space needed for the animals. The houses were quite large, but had been deserted when Suna's economy had crashed years ago, and had remained that way when he bought this plot of land. The people had accepted him as their leader; but that didn't mean that they wanted to live near him. Some things never change.

Since the properties had become quite rundown, they were cheap, so he bought them. Besides, who wanted to live next to a house that was falling apart? Of course this meant that the families living next to those houses were now moving, and he would, once again, be neighbor-less, but he didn't care, so no harm, no foul. The buildings required a lot of work though, but one was half-way done, so there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Well, I want that one house finished by the end of the week for your specimens, so after work tomorrow we'll be going to the home improvement store, so be ready, okay? We'll stop for a treat on the way back." She happily began to bounce in the chair, like a little kid, which made him chuckle. She was so cute!

Meep. Oh great, her finch just had to visit, now didn't he?! Said brown fluff-ball crash landed on her shoulder, meeping and hopping around like a crazy bird. Gaara was still at a loss as to why he was so easily swayed by those big lavender eyes, otherwise that bird wouldn't have lasted the night. Stupid thing, stalking him around the house and dive-bombing him, didn't it realize that he could kill it with a twitch of a finger?

Well, there was a lot of work to be done, and not a lot of time to prepare. It looks like the feudal lords were preparing to make their move, and he had to make sure his country was ready for it. However, he knew that no matter how well prepared his country was, they were in for a long and bloody struggle ahead.


	28. Chapter 28

Yeah, torture in this chapter, so, as always, if your sensitive to this stuff, skip it

Yeah, torture in this chapter, so, as always, if your sensitive to this stuff, skip it. I wonder, however, how many people there are that find torture offensive are still reading my story. I think I would've lost them by now, yes? Last chapter was kind of a filler, but it is useful for building my plot. Yeah, and I needed to give you guys something. Mmm, my best buddy came by and visited me, I am so happy. I also let her in on a little secret: I am also coming out with another version of Silent Angel, in which Hinata will be, yet again, mute, and her family will be, yet again, a bunch of abusive assholes. The similarities end there, though, as this will be a complete alt. universe story. It just keeps bouncing around in my head, so I figure that I should just go ahead and type it. This makes me ask a question; can you plagiarize yourself? Meh, I don't think so, so I'll just write it. Tentatively titled "Demon Dance," I'll let you know when I work it out more. Check it out if you're interested, when I post it, at some point. Oh yes, I can't use a jump drive, because that would require me to be able to get on the computer with the internet connection. I am hardly ever able to get on as it is. Besides, I don't know how to use one. I am not very computer savvy. Onwards with the chapter.

Chapter Twenty-eight

The man was sobbing, gasping for breath. Gaara had been working on him for almost an hour, but it seemed like there was little point. His story hadn't changed. Gaara was holding a small blade that was bent into a v-shape, and was using it to carve out long trips of flesh. The man's back was a bloody mess, but, if one looked past the blood, they would see an intricate pattern of thorny vines and serpents. Gaara planned to tan it, and keep it as a souvenir.

"You aren't leaving anything out, are you?" the last piece of flesh was slowly peeled away, causing an anguished cry to come from the man.

"I-I-I saw-saw-swear, I never saw his face! He always wore an ANBU mask! Ask the girl, I bet she knows! She came to us with a message from him! Please, make it stop, please!" Gaara knew he wasn't going to get anything else from him, so he slit his throat, after peeling his trophy off, of course. He would have the body sent to Orochimaru ad Itachi for examination. This was such a pain. Next was the idiot who had the nerve to comment on his Hinata's body. Gaara had something special in mind for him. He was going to castrate him, Gaara style. Well, actually Orochimaru was going to castrate him; Gaara was setting up what they were going to use. It was a scalpel, and it was going to shave off very thin strips of flesh from the moron's, well, genital-shaped brain in his pants.

While everyone's favorite snake was absorbed in his favorite pastime, Gaara was calmly telling him that, under no uncertain terms, that Hinata was not to be associated with him in any way, that he was not even to foul her name by speaking it, or thinking it. Her image was not to be used for his pleasure, and to help him remember these rules, and to remove temptation, he was kindly being disabled. Now he was reminded that he was not to touch Hinata, in any way. He was not to cast any jutsus on her, or throw things at her, or set traps for her. He was not to look at her, or smell her, or taste her, or even speak to her. In fact, he was to stay a minimum of one hundred feet away from her at all times, any violation of these rules would result in the loss of another body part in a similar manner. It was also a reminder that there was no diplomatic immunity in Suna.

The moron had been one of the ones that Kisame had knocked out; the others had been dealt with already. He would've gotten off much easier if he had just apologized when he had sobered up, but no, he just had to remark on how pretty Hinata was, and that he wished that he had been able to have her from behind. He thought that since he was a diplomat, that he was safe. Idiot, didn't he read about Suna's policy before coming here?!

Next was the last man from the group of sound ninja that had been captured. After being coerced by several friendly scorpions, it turned out that he was clueless as well. What kind of ninja were these guys?! How could you not know your own leader?! However, he did at least confirm it was a man. Finally Gaara decided to let the little terrors sting him after all. The man shrieked, then began to sweat. One scorpion could cause death within three hours. Four could kill within twenty minutes. He was glad he had kept the ones he had found in his tent so long ago.

The man moaned as he felt the pain in his intestines, which was slowly moving up his body. He felt his muscles clench and spasm painfully. The uncontrollable twitching turned into a full-blown seizure after fifteen minutes, during which he began to froth at the mouth. The foam turned read as he bit through his tongue. After a while, he was still. The scorpions, meanwhile, were picked up by their tails and put back into their containers.

When Gaara arrived in his bedroom, he immediately went to Hinata and nuzzled into her neck, purring contentedly. She knew, as soon as she saw the look in his eyes that he had maimed, if not killed, for her. These instances always made her squirm in a mixture of sorrow and joy. Joy that he was protecting her, or at least showing that he cared for her, in his twisted way, yet sorrow that someone had to suffer. He recognized this and offered her the usual odd combination of a comforting embrace and nuzzles that made her go all tingly.

Gaara was unusually grumpy the next day. He was up before everyone, since he didn't sleep, he simply cuddled next to his Hinata most of the night, finally coming down the stairs at around four thirty in the morning. Hinata would arrive an hour or so later, and the rest would straggle in at varying intervals later. Gaara had found an unpleasant note with the morning paper this morning. Apparently, there was to be some sort of ball that he was supposed to organize. The leaders of the troublesome villages and his allies were going to attend, in an effort to try and work out some of their problems.

"I don't fucking get it. How is a damn ball going to help anything? There's going to be a fucking war anyways, why do I have to organize this stupid thing?! Stupid old geezers, what the fuck do they know?! I hate balls! It's just another opportunity for some slut to try to grope me, and I hate it when they touch me!" This generally foul-mouthed grumbling continued, while the boys looked at him in amazement. It was rare for Gaara to use this sort of language, especially in front of Hinata, who was currently blushing furiously. That was when Shukaku chose to moon-walk in. After twirling around into a chair, he, with a smile, let loose a stream of cusswords that would've mad a whore blush. As it was, Hinata nearly fainted. Gaara slapped him on the side of the head.

"Knock that shit off! You know better than to use such language around her!"

"OW! You prick, you were cussing too!"

"So what, that's different-"

"Yeah, and I'm a cat's vagina."

Sasori spewed juice out of his mouth, coughing and choking. Hinata ran out of the room, and Itachi's face was in his hands, shaking his head. It was unclear whether or not he was exasperated or laughing.

"Well, at least now the truth comes out. So, little sex kitten, are you going to be a good kitty and present your ass to Orochimaru?"

"NO! You sick little twerp, why don't you just go suck-"

"If you value your life, you will not finish that sentence."

"GLERGBBLLESSFTLE!" Hinata had returned and had squirted a stream of soap into Shukaku's mouth. Sasori cracked up, while Deidara decided to add his two cents in.

"Ha! It looks like yous gots rabies, un!"

"Deidara, your grammar really sucks!"

"Aw, Gaara! You always say that!"

"Well, you do! Take a class or something!"

Orochimaru wandered in wearing a lavender bathrobe, with matching house slippers. The others didn't realize it, yet, but he was also wearing a matching lace thong.

"Mmmm, that's good coffee. Hey, you wondrous quartet, I need you and Hinata to come with me. We need to solve the issue of her wardrobe." Hinata looked up. What was wrong with her wardrobe? Shukaku also looked up, for a different reason.

"Why don't I get to come? And why is she getting presents, she squirted soap in my mouth!"

"Because, you sexy little kitty you, you would offend the people that I'm getting with your language. Besides, this is important, and I don't want to be distracted by that lovely ass of yours." Orochimaru licked his lips. Shukaku scowled angrily.

"Bite me."

"With pleasure."

"Hey, what is this ball thing anyways?"

"Well, Sasori, it is officially known as the 'Unity Festival.' It is a celebration of the end of the Great War. This week was the week that Suna signed the peace treaty with the other nations. Usually it's just a party, but this time around it is to prevent another great war from erupting."

"Oh, thanks Gaara. Is there anything else about it?"

"Yes, of course there is. Nothing is ever simple when it comes to politicians. The nobles, including us, will be having a formal tea ceremony. Formal kimonos are a must, and that is why Hinata needs to be fitted, today. The damn thing is less than a week away, and I wasn't notified until this morning. Check your kimonos for damages and such. We all need to be presentable. Oh, and Hinata, we are going to have to train you in the basic geisha arts. You will be under the Suna version, Orochimaru, I hold you responsible for that task. Shukaku! You will have to undergo training as well!"

"Fuck you, I am nobody's bitch!"

"And that is why you need to undergo training; your manners are atrocious!"

"No way!"

"You know, there are going to be ladies at the ball."

"Yeah?"

"If you want to get laid, then you will have to go to the ball, and I'm not letting you go if you lack the most basic of social etiquette."

"Man you suck."

"I knew you'd come around." Gaara smirked triumphantly.

A few hours later Hinata was still in a fabric store with a seamstress. Said seamstress was holding several different fabrics up to her, while the guys critiqued the choices. Poor Gaara was stuck at the office writing invitations and doing other paperwork. He had his desk cleared off, until today that is. Now he was stuck dealing with each and every aspect of hosting this event. They had no doubt in their minds that Gaara would come home very, very grouchy.

"No, not the yellow, such a color would clash with her lovely hair. What about the dark green? Hmm, not bad, but not spectacular. Not the orange either, or the brown. Oh! Let's see that wine! Oh, yes! What do you think, gentlemen?"

"Gown." Kisame and Deidara said.

"Kimono." Sasori and Itachi replied. Hinata just watched them bicker back and forth about the fabric.

"She needs dresses, un! Lots and lots of dresses! How can she go dance without a pretty dress, un?!"

"She needs a kimono for the tea ceremony, and a different kimono to greet the guests."

"Itachi! Are you forgetting? There are two separate balls! Guppy needs two different dresses because of it! Some stupid ceremonial custom thingy!"

"Gentlemen! Can we please just get the fabrics? We can bicker about which colors for which things later!"

"Hey, are you guys forgetting? She should choose, because she has to wear them!"

"Oh yeah, thanks puppet boy, now you've just given her free reign to dress like a nun!" (I mean no offence to anyone who is Catholic, okay?)

"Shut it, slither-puss, I just meant that she should get to have a say in this."

Eventually the fabric colors were chosen, and it was up to the team of seamstresses to design and create the final masterpieces. Hinata was to wear a navy kimono, a wine kimono, a dark violet dress and a black dress. She felt so guilty about the prices, but Orochimaru had insisted on the best. She was now a noble lady, after all, and Gaara's date.

The day was going good, despite the unusual things that happened when you got a bunch of former criminals together. It wasn't until they got home that they were in for a rude awakening. Sakura was gone from her cell.


	29. Chapter 29

Hey you guys! I will be moving forward with another story soon, since I'm almost finished with this one. I have also changed my mind about Angel Song; it will be an actual, complete story. For those of you who don't know, it will be the sequel to this story. I want to think everyone for the reviews, and in some cases P.M.s, they have really helped me out. In September, my mom and I will be going on a cruise, as a late graduation present, so the chapters may be delayed a bit during that month. Oh yes, one more thing, Shukaku doesn't do anything to her because he sort of sees her as a cross between a little sister and a daughter, in a weird kind of way. It's also more fun for him to torment Gaara. And one more thing, I am aware that not all Catholics dress like nuns or priests, I do have some Catholic friends; I just wanted to make sure that I didn't offend anybody. Okay, onwards with the chapter!

Chapter Twenty-nine

Gaara was still cranky, despite looking oh so sexy in his black kimono. It wasn't that he was impatient with Hinata; they still had an hour before they had to be there. Nor was he particularly vexed at the others, even if it was taking far longer than it should to get ready, really, men's kimonos were a lot less complicated than women's, at least here in Suna. No, he was pissy because he had to greet each and every one of his guests personally. At least everyone wasn't here yet, because they still had a week until the actual formal ceremony.

Upstairs Hinata was being assaulted by the girls, who were putting on her make-up and fixing her hair. They knew that Gaara preferred hair to be naturally pinned up without hairspray. The smell was offensive to him. Part of her hair was pinned up, with decorative hair pins holding it in place. Her side bangs were left down, however, and were given a slight curl. The bun was made to look like an intricate knot, with a jeweled flower set on top and smaller jeweled pins dispersed over the rest of her hair. Wine colored lipstick was added, and charcoal grey eye-shadow tastefully added to her eyes. Her eyelashes were long and already fanned out gracefully, so mascara was not needed. Lucky girl.

Finally it was time for the kimono to be revealed. It was a deep shade of wine, with flowers embroidered in black and charcoal grey. She even had a matching fan. Orochimaru had yet to reveal where he found it. When she went down the stairs she encountered a moody Gaara. He still hadn't quite simmered down after the fiasco with Sakura.

He heard a familiar pitter-pat sound behind him. He knew those footsteps. Only one person's feet went pitter-pat. Smirking slightly, his mood improving a little, he turned to receive the shock of his life. Standing in front of him was the most beautiful woman in the world. He stood there staring at her for a while, and was finally able to come to his senses when she blushed and looked down shyly. He gave her a positively wicked smirk and sauntered over to her.

"Oh my my, what do we have here? I have a feeling that my self-control is about to be tested far more than it ever has before, you tasty little morsel." He purred seductively in her ear, making her blush even more. His words were true; her scent was driving him insane, and her creamy throat was begging to be kissed. However, noble as he was, he restrained himself, and instead slipped his arm into hers.

The meeting went alright, and Gaara was justifiably proud of himself. Unfortunately, he had no idea that, three days from now, she was going to hit him with a double whammy.

This was the first ball. Her hair was down, her make-up light and tasteful, and she was wearing her black dress. It draped wonderfully over her body, revealing just enough to tantalize the mind. It had very fine silver sparkles on it, so it looked like stars on a night sky. The dress came to just above her ankles, and was lightly constructed, perfect for dancing. And that was exactly what he did. The slow dance went well, and he gave her a kiss on her cheek, which made her blush prettily. Shukaku gave him the third degree later that night for not frenching her. He told him to shut up. He couldn't help but think that when Kisame referred to the little black dress, he wasn't kidding…

None of this, however, prepared him for the official tea ceremony. Shukaku was able to attend, because he just barely passed the test he got on manners. Gaara was again waiting downstairs, this time in his black and red kage robes. When he looked up, he could've sworn he saw a goddess. Hinata was wearing a navy kimono with lilies embroidered in white and silver thread. Her hair was pulled up and held in place by a matching silver lily pin. In her hands she had a matching fan, which she closed as she glided over to him.

Her make up was again tastefully done, and her long eyelashes whispered softly against her cheeks as she blinked up at him. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take…

"You seem to have made it your mission to test the limits of my self control, my little dove." He gave her a light kiss on the cheek, while desperately trying to think of something un-arousing. It wasn't working.

At the tea ceremony, Hinata was the most charming member of the group, even outdoing the feudal mist lord's daughter. (In all honesty, she was a whiney bitch with an annoying laugh, so it wasn't much of a contest anyways.) Shukaku caught Gaara's eye from across the room and gave him a knowing wink, but didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

Orochimaru had taught them more than just manners, apparently. He had given Shukaku key information about Sakura's escape, and helped him form a plan to find out just who had helped her. It was a plan that Gaara wouldn't approve of, even Shukaku had his reservations about it. But, if they ever wanted to find out who it was, they had to be willing to do whatever it takes. War was a dirty, business, not at all like the way it was portrayed in stories. Oh sure, there were heroes all right, but there was also the parts that nobody wanted to talk about. The interrogations, the torture; that was only the tip of the ice burg. Information was everything in war, and you had to be willing to do whatever it takes to get it. They didn't want Gaara's hands to be stained in this particular scheme, so it was best that they just leave him out until they got what they needed.

However, what Orochimaru taught Hinata was just mischief. He had taught her how a proper lady or geisha flirted with their customers or dates, at least in Suna. So when she and Gaara sat down, she "accidentally" brushed his leg with hers. When she reached for his cup to pour the tea, she also "accidentally" brushed his fingers with hers. Such behavior continued throughout the ceremony, and Gaara was very, very grateful that they were sitting down. This was not helping his self control. When he saw the snakes face, however, he knew. So, she wanted to play, huh? Well, two can play at this little game.

He gave a wicked smirk, unnerving several of the feudal lords and making the ladies swoon. He then allowed his arm to "accidentally" brush hers. He also "accidentally" brushed the side of her leg just so with his. When he raised his hand up to his chin his fingers brushed her upper arm slightly by "mistake." And, since she had to bow before she rose, his robe, seemingly of its own accord, lightly scraped the back of her neck. It was fortunate for her that she had time to collect herself, because she was now blushing like mad. The killing blow, however, came on their way out, when they were going through the door. Under the pretense of protecting her, his fingers lightly ghosted across the small of her back. She went red.

_Ha! You got a taste of your own medicine, you little minx!_

Shukaku and Orochimaru laughed quietly and gave each other a high-five. Sometimes a couple needed a nudge in the right direction.

Shukaku, much to his dismay, had a mission to carry out. He strolled by the flower shop, where Ino worked part time. He strolled up to her.

"Hey there, pretty girl."

"Um, hi, did you need some flowers?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Mm, actually, I came looking for you."

"W-why?" Man this guy was hot!

"Well, you see, I have two tickets to the ball tonight. I've seen you around, and I thought that it would be fun to take you. Interested?"

"I-I- well, I would love to, but I don't have a dress."

"Oh, that's no big deal. I know a great shop to get one. I got my suit from the same place. C'mon, I'll show you." In the end, she chose a flashy teal dress. Shukaku almost felt guilty about what he was going to do to her.

Before the dance, as Hinata was getting ready, she was in for an unusual surprise. After a knock on her door, Temari came in. Hinata regarded her warily, as all of her previous experiences with the eldest sibling had been less than pleasant.

"Hinata, can we talk?" Hinata looked pointedly at her in exasperation. She grabbed her tablet, which was never far away.

_You can talk, I write, remember? _Temari had the decency to look guilty at her oversight.

"Oops, sorry about that, what I meant was, can I- well, look, I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you, okay? I guess I was sort of jealous of your relationship with Gaara."

_Jealous? Why? You're his sister, aren't you? Wouldn't it be weird for you to have a relationship like mine with him?_

"Not a romantic relationship! That's just gross! No, I meant that, well, you see-" She gave an exasperated sigh and sat down. "We've never been close. Now that I look back on it, it was always Kankuro and I against him. I was like the other villagers; all I could see was a monster, and not my brother. I always looked after Kankuro, who didn't really need it, and left Gaara to fend for himself, even though he probably needed it the most.

"He, as a little kid, was always alone, and he never had any friends. Instead of inviting him to hang out with me, I ignored him. I suppose it was because I was Yashamaru's favorite, I thought I was immune to Gaara. After all, he always minded our uncle. I was a shallow bitch to him as a child, and then I became a coward, always running away from him. For a long time I blamed everything on him. Then one day you came along." She turned and looked at Hinata.

"At first I thought you were a weakling, just some sort of pet to him. Even after we fought I still didn't want to admit that you had something that I could've had, if I had been smarter. It wasn't until Shukaku came to me a while ago that I finally realized the truth."

_Flashback_

_"Hey you, Blondie." She turned to see Shukaku striding towards her._

_"Yes?"_

_"What the hell's your problem?"_

_"What?" _

_"You heard me, why the hell are you such a bitch?"_

_"I don't understand." It was not wise to provoke a demon._

_"To Hinata! What the hell did she ever do to you, you little slut?"_

_"She thinks she's all that just because she's his little pet! And because of that she gets away with crap that no one else could ever dream of! Just because she fucks him-" _

_SLAP_

_"Oh come off it, that's not it, and you know it. The girl's still a virgin, but that's not the issue. You know what your problem is? Here's the short story: as an older sister it was your job to look after your brothers, both of them, but instead you decided that Kankuro was more important, and so was your social life, so you shoved him aside when he needed you the most. Then, when you realized that he could kick your ass you ran away like a coward, only using him to boost your own status. Instead of comforting him or helping him out, or simply being there for him, you ran off at night to go screw one of your little boy-toys. You didn't pay any attention to him until she came along, and you saw how good he was to her. That's when you realized that he didn't need you anymore, and that he didn't trust you worth shit. You're jealous that she has his trust and love, whereas you have nothing, and you have no one else to blame but yourself. Take a look in the mirror, toots, and start owning up to your mistakes." With that, he walked off, leaving a stunned Temari._

_End flashback_

"So, I guess the thing to say is that I'm sorry. Is there anyway I can make it up to you?"

_Yes, go to Gaara and tell him what you told me. You owe him an apology much more than you owe me._

Temari drew a shaky breath; then nodded.

"Thanks, Hinata."

After she left, Hinata continued to get ready.

Gaara, meanwhile, had been busy with his own problems. It was finally in today. He had been waiting for it forever, but it was finally in, and it was worth it. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face.

In the meantime, Hinata was getting a little nervous; she had no clue as to how Gaara would react this time. The last dress had short sleeves, but this one had only this straps that the girls called "spaghetti straps." Why were they called that? They were thin, but not that thin! Isn't fettuccini more accurate? She liked that stuff, especially with chicken and that cheese sauce called Alfredo. Orochimaru just took her odd questions in stride; there was nothing he could really do about them anyway.

"Oh yes, he is just going to die when he sees you come down the stairs!"

She looked alarmed. She didn't want him to die! Seeing her expression, he reassured her.

"I don't mean that literally! It's just a phrase! It means that he will be very pleasantly surprised at how lovely you are!" while explaining this to her, he was gesturing wildly with the lip gloss she was to wear. She obediently held still while Kameko applied her eye-shadow, then the lip gloss that the snake handed her. Eviko and Chiko were doing her hair, while Asa, armed with a lint roller, made sure that there was no unwanted fuzzies on her gown. Finished, she was about to go downstairs, but Deidara stopped her.

"No, un. The guy has to wait for the girl, not the other way around, un. You stay here, and I'll keep watch, un. Then, when he's here, un, I'll come get you, okay, un?" she nodded, and he scurried out to play at being a super spy, complete with humming the theme song from Mission Impossible. (I don't own Mission Impossible.)

Gaara got in and had to hurry to get ready. Fortunately, he had the foresight to lay out his stuff earlier in the day. He was going to wear a black tux with a wine colored tie. Oh, and those shiny black dress shoes that annoyed him. He didn't like wearing shiny shoes, it felt weird. Maybe it was the socks.

So it was that he found himself at the bottom of the stairs, again, waiting on Hinata, who was undoubtedly being detained by Orochimaru and Deidara for some unknown reason, again. He knew this because he saw the pyromaniac spying on him and humming that damn theme-song!

"Deidara, get your ass ready!" he sprang up, and took off running.

"ABORT UN ABORT ABORT UN!" He screamed as he ran to his room.

"Idiot." When he turned back to the stair well, he saw her, finally. She was beautiful. The gown was a deep violet, with lavender flowers and silver glass seed beads embroidered on it. Her hair was swept up off her neck, held in place with silver jeweled pins. Her eyes were touched lightly with lavender eye-shadow, and a light gloss was applied to her lips. The only thing missing was a necklace.

When he finally came to, he remembered his present.

"You are beautiful, Hinata," he managed to murmur. He desperately tried to get his hormones under control and to get his brain to think. Her scent wasn't helping matters. _Give her the damn present, you retard!_

"Hmm, but there is something missing, I wonder what it could be?" he circled her, while she began to panic. What did she do wrong? He was behind her now.

"Now I see, you don't have a necklace. Well, I just so happen to have one for you." With that he attached his present to her neck. It was a white gold chain, with a black opal pendent. In the black opal was a little dove made of white opal. The pendent must have cost quite a bit, and it had the desired effect. She was stunned, and he was chuckling at her expression.

"Now, my love, you are perfect." He kissed her cheek gently.

"Awwww!" they turned to see Shukaku, the former akatasuki, the girls and Orochimaru to be grinning and murmuring about how cute they were. They also noticed something else, and it was unthinkable. Kameko's outfit actually matched.

It was a teal gown, with a matching pendent with a teal-colored stone. Her earrings matched the pendent, and her hair was teal, as was her lipstick and eye-shadow. She had her arm hooked around Itachi's. Eviko was in a golden gown, with a simple gold chain and pendent. She and Kisame were standing together. Asa was in a dark green gown with her husband, and Chiko was in a red gown, her arm linked around Deidara's. Sasori was meeting his date there, as was Shukaku. Orochimaru and Kimimaro were standing together. They headed off through the door.

Gaara was surprisingly enjoying himself, shiny shoes and all. It must have had something to do with the lovely lady he was slow-dancing with. Hinata was resting her cheek against his chest, and he was holding her close, contemplating just how she had completely changed his life, as well as the rest of his clan's. he was, for the first time in his life, truly happy. He had never thought it possible until she came around. He though back to when he first say her, in the Kazekage tower, and to when he first touched her, when she was stuck under his balcony. He had never dreamed she would affect everything so much.

On the other side of the dance floor, Shukaku danced with Ino.

"You know, you never told me your name."

"Ah, so I haven't. how rude of me. my name is Shuku."

"Shuku? Seems like and odd name."

"Well, I'm an odd person, Ino."

"Odd isn't necessarily bad, I like odd, in this case. Especially since you have a cute butt."

"Oh? Well, I must say that your butt is just as attractive, if not more. I don't remember the last time I saw such a nice rear. Mmm, you're pretty from the front and back, lucky me." Ino laughed at him. He was, in his weird way, very charming. As the dance ended he managed to coax her out and into a hotel room. It was a five star room, with a big bed and a very well tipped staff, to make sure no one interfered. He chewed a hot cinnamon mint furiously behind her back, and then slipped something else in. A few drops of a strange liquid on his tongue. He then kissed her furiously, shoving her back to the bed, stripping off clothing along the way. She giggled and complied, and her senses spiraled away.

An hour later she was blissfully unconscious, and Orochimaru strolled in. There was a distinct odor in the air. Shukaku was standing beside the bed, looking satisfied but unhappy.

"What's the matter? Did anything go wrong?"

"No, everything went perfectly."

"Then why the face?"

"It is wrong to do this, that a girl should be treated in such a way."

"That may be, but she is our only suspect, and the security of this country is dependent on the capture of the leader of my wayward sound ninja. This is why we went ahead with this plan without telling Gaara, we don't want to spoil his evening."

"He will find out eventually."

"Yes, but not tonight. We will deal with her tomorrow. We need to get her to a cell unobserved; this is why you drugged her."

"Yes."

Meanwhile, Gaara and Hinata had just arrived home, and were looking out over the village on Gaara's balcony.

"You are truly a beautiful angel, Hinata." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. She rested against his chest, listening to his heart. He smiled at her softly; then tilted her chin up. Gazing into her eyes, he could see her love and devotion, and knew that she could see his. This is what made him bring his lips to hers, in a gentle, and her first, kiss.

Ha, they finally kissed after 29 chaps! This one is 8 full pages, by the way, so R&R!


	30. Chapter 30

I thought that last chapter was cute, you know

I thought that last chapter was cute, you know? I had a lot of fun torturing Gaara with Hinata. Thanks for the reviews. I'm starting Demon Dance now, since I only have a few chapters left for this story. I used a note pad to write down a bunch of Gaahina stories, at last count there were 13. I hope you will enjoy them. Some are humorous, others are rather dark and twisted, and others are cute. I think my bandit one will be a lot of fun to write, and so will Secretary for a Schizo. My mom and step-dad are talking about getting me something to transfer my stories onto this computer so I can type like I want. I hope they get it soon, whatever it is. Okay, onwards!

Chapter Thirty

Ino woke up to a terrifying reality. She was in a dimly lit cell, and chained to the floor. She nervously put her hand to her mouth, wincing in pain as it put pressure on a sore. The pain brought back memories of the night before, of a golden-eyed man.

"You are awake, I see." She whipped her head around to see him.

"Shuku! What am I doing here? Where am I? What did you do to me?!"

"My name is not Shuku, it's Shukaku, and you are here because when I first kissed you last night, I gave you a small nip. That allowed me to slip a drug into your system. You had better come clean now, before Gaara gets to you."

"About what? I didn't do anything! Why are you doing this to me?!" she began to cry.

"Tears don't work on me, I'm a demon, remember?" Shukaku gave an exasperated sigh. Orochimaru walked in.

"Ah, you are awake at last. So, shall we get started?"

"I don't understand-"

"OH COME ON! You, you treacherous little slut, you freed your little friend Sakura by using your jutsu to take over someone else's body. Now, then, you must know who the leader of those traitors are. Talk!" Shukaku backhanded her, sending her reeling to the floor.

"Always the impatient one, eh, Shukaku?"

Ino was laying on the floor whimpering. How could he do this? She thought he had liked her! How could he be so cruel? Did last night mean nothing to him?

After an hour, she still denied everything. Orochimaru and Shukaku turned to leave.

"Wait! Shuku-I mean, Shukaku- was it all a lie? You never cared about me? Last night meant nothing to you?"

He paused, and turned slightly to look her dead in the eye.

"You are nothing to me." He left her there, alone in the dark.

They were going home to inform Gaara of the events that had happened. It was evening now, and he had left the office. They found him in an interesting position. He, and Hinata, was on his black leather couch. He was leaning over her so that it almost appeared like he was pinning her down. Oh, and they were making out. Rather passionately. Shukaku cleared his throat, and Gaara looked up, while Hinata went beet red and hid her face in his chest.

"Beat it, I'm busy."

"I can see that kid, and normally I would've just watched you two get it on, but this is important."

"Can't it wait? And we were just kissing a little, not 'getting it on,' as you so eloquently put it."

"Are you kidding me? I saw you; you were on top of her with your tongue down her throat! How is that not getting it on? And no, it can't wait!"

"My tongue was not down her throat! It wasn't like I was groping her or anything! Why can't it wait?"

"Yeah right, I was standing right here! You were so frenching her, and this is a matter of national security, that's why it can't wait! Now, put your dick away, straighten up your shirt, and get your ass down to the dungeon, you little horn-dog, you."

"Oh for crying out loud, my pants aren't even undone! And I am not a little horn dog, you pervert! I just appreciate my beautiful little Hinata."

"Methinks you appreciate her too much." Shukaku dodged a paperweight that Gaara threw at him. Orochimaru was laughing like a maniac. Gaara sighed in resignation, and gave her a tender kiss. He bent down to whisper in her ear.

"We will be continuing this as soon as I get back." He nuzzled her gently, and headed out with the other two, grumbling the entire way.

Hinata thought it best to use her time wisely, so she started making some more ointment. This was a cream that repelled insects, which would be useful to teams that went on missions in other countries. However, Gaara's ban on foreign missions had yet to be lifted, and she had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't anytime soon. If it was to be used, it would be during war. Although it seemed simple, and more of a luxury, the insect repellent would save lives. Many diseases were carried by insects, such as malaria. These diseases could cripple or kill their victims, and she wanted to save as many of their shinobi as she could. She set the creams aside, and began to pack the food and medicinal pills that she made earlier, which would also be in high demand.

She took the day's work to the hospital, and worked with some of the patients for a while, mending some broken bones and aiding in the care of other injuries. She also delivered a few babies, and the squirming bundles of joy were often soothed by her tender care. She liked babies, a lot. She hoped Gaara did too, because she wanted to be a mom, at some point.

Gaara grumbled moodily all the way, and Shukaku tried not to laugh at him too much; after all, if he was grumpy now, then he would be pissed soon enough, and that was never good for him. What Shukaku had done to Ino was borderline despicable, even in these circumstances, and even Gaara had his standards, when it came to toying with other people's emotions to make them do what you wanted. Even if Shukaku thought that Ino was partly to blame in this, after all, what kind of girl slept with a guy on the first date? Or even when they first meet, for that matter? Okay, it was more like their second meeting, but still.

"So, what is so important that you two had to ruin my evening? Why couldn't it have waited, huh?! I had a really hard day at the office, you know, and I deserve my time to relax!"

"Relax, Gaara? So, if that was relaxing, then what do you consider stimulating?"

"Shut it, Orochimaru!"

"He finds the idea of bondage stimulating, you know, her arms tied to the headboard, away from her neck, and maybe her legs tied as well-"no one could say that Shukaku always did the smart thing and keep his mouth shut. Gaara smacked him upside the head.

"Shut up! Perverted bastards, the both of you!" Gaara snarled, trying to desperately ignore the fact that the idea of Hinata having her arms tied while he had his wicked way with her was a very stimulating thing. Of course, she would be willing. Mm, oh so very willing, deliciously so. He licked his lips the way he did before he killed someone. Orochimaru hadn't seen it, but Shukaku had, and he grinned. Baby Gaaras were on the way soon.

When they got there, Gaara found Ino slumped on the floor, hiccupping. Oh, goody, an emotional female, just what he wanted. Wait, what was that smell? He whipped his head towards Shukaku, who looked away, guiltily? His eyes narrowed.

"So, how did you guys get her here without raising hell?"

"You know how Gaara, and yes, I know about the thing you have with this sort of thing, but there weren't a lot of alternatives." Shukaku knew he was going to catch hell for this later. Oh well, share the wealth.

"It was Orochimaru's idea!"

"Oh, shut up! You were the one who wanted to get laid!"

"Ha! Like you don't! Your tongue was down Kimimaro's throat at the dance!"

"So?! He's a big boy; he can make his own decisions! And he had a good night, let me tell you-"

"Please don't, I'd rather not hear about that."

"You don't have a problem with watching Gaara and Hinata make out, what's the big deal? Scared you might learn something?"

"Oh please, I have way more experience in that department; you're a virgin compared to me!"

"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"

They quieted, except for Ino, who was still doing those hiccupping sobs.

"That includes you too, girl, I'm not going to pity you." Ino stopped crying, for the most part. Gaara massaged his temples. He was in for a long night.

Meanwhile, Hinata was greeting a most unusual visitor. It was Tenten, and she was looking for Gaara.

"Look, I just need to apologize to him for something I said a while ago, okay? It's not any of your business!"

Hinata gave her a harsh glare. It most certainly did concern her, because she knew all to well as to what Tenten needed to talk to Gaara about! She also knew all about her relationship with Neji, about how she followed him around like a lost little puppy, and about how she had thought of her precious Gaara! She had no right to call him those terrible things!

She withered under Hinata's accusing gaze. She had been at the trial, and, although she hadn't believed her at first, when she saw those pictures, she knew. Besides, it wasn't her fault that he wasn't here.

"I'm sorry, it's just that, well, I owe him one, because of earlier. At the time, I had no idea that Neji was so-"Hinata turned away, signaling the end of the conversation. That part of her life was over, and it needed to stay over. She had no desire to relive it all again.

"Wait! I- whoa! What is that and what are you doing with it?!" Hinata gave her an odd look. It was a viper from the mist village, of course, and she was milking its venom of course. The greenish-grey snake bit the flask readily enough, and spurted in a hefty amount of yellow liquid. After giving a brief once-over, she put it back, and then labeled the flask neatly. She moved on to another snake, this one was sand viper. It was twice as aggressive as the other snake, and pumped in twice the venom. The brown snake was hissing the entire time, and its fangs were huge! She swiftly returned the angry snake to its tank, not wanting to chance it biting Tenten, who appeared to be freaking out.

When Gaara came home, he found an odd sight in his basement. Two girls were milking snakes, and, oddly enough, they seemed to be enjoying it. Hinata put another snake back, and skipped over to him, giving him a kiss on his cheek. Oh, what joy! Tenten, however, approached more hesitantly.

"Why are you here, Tenten?"

"I came to apologize, and I sort of got off on the wrong foot." She rubbed the back of her head a little sheepishly.

"Go on."

"I'm sorry for my behavior when we first met, Gaara Sama, I was out of line."

"Hn, very well, you are forgiven if you continue to help Hinata with her little project here, starting tomorrow. For now, you may go and get some rest; you're going to need it."

"THANK YOU!!" she started to jump up and give him a hug, but he cut her off with a glare. So she settled for a wave and left the two to their own devices. He turned to Hinata.

"Now then, where were we?" he said with a wicked smirk. Hinata blushed, and Gaara resumed their make out session with vigor. Some things were certainly worth waiting for.

Three months later.

Gaara was out shopping, for something very special. They were going out tonight, to a very special dinner. Then they were going to dance under the stars. And he was feeling a little squirmy. He had never been so nervous. The gift was lovely though.

Hinata was wearing a navy evening gown, and the necklace that he had given her during the ball. They were sharing a very elegant, romantic dinner. Who knew he could be so smooth? There were candles, and soft music, and it was so nice! She smiled at him happily. He chuckled softly. His little dove was so cute.

It was when they got up to dance that he began to feel nervous again. His black suit and her navy dress came together in a slow dance, and she rested her head as close to his shoulder as she could. He breathed in her scent, and held her close. He reached into his pocket.

"You are so precious to me, Hinata." He murmured as they glided across the floor. She nuzzled in deeper; he was always so warm…

"You have made me truly happy, something that I have never felt before. I can't imagine my life without you anymore, the mere thought is too painful." She looked up at him, touched. He smiled and they danced for a few more minutes, then the song ended, and she turned to go back to the table, but was stopped when he gave a tug on her arm.

"What makes you think I'm done?" his voice was playful, and when she turned back, she saw him kneeling down before her. She was puzzled. What was he doing on the floor? He was going to get dirty! He held out a gold ring with a garnet set in it.

"Hinata, will you marry me?" she was shocked, and then she began to cry.

"Wait! Don't cry! This isn't supposed to upset you!" she jumped on him and began peppering him with kisses.

"I take it that that's a yes. She nodded at him happily; then went back kissing him.

Ino had been subjected to all sorts of psychological attacks, and then had been allowed to escape. She was running to him, just like they had planned. She was unaware that she was being followed by Itachi. She crested a dune, and saw him. Her leader, and the new leader of the sound village. Itachi felt ashamed. It was his brother Sasuke.

Ha! How'd you guys like the proposal? Let me know in a review! I finished chapter 1 of Demon Dance, and will be posting it. I also have a jump drive now, so when I update in the future, I may not have as many author notes, and I will be posting a bunch at one time. You guys will be seeing chapters 1-6 of Pint-sized Demons and Cookies soon too. I hope you like them!


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-one

Hey, thanks for the reviews and support, I found them delightful. Over 200, baby, yeah! I also send my thanks out to everyone who has started on Demon Dance as well. When I update the next chapter of Demon Dance, you will probably see chapters 1-6 of Pint-sized Demons and Cookies, but those chapters are a lot shorter, which I find very strange. Oh well, I hope you enjoy it anyway. It is very different from these other two, more cute and soft. However, in that story I don't think Gaara is very ooc, because he was the nicest little kid until Yashamaru and his father screwed him up. Read the story for more information. Onwards then!

Gaara was amused. Little Hinata had been planning the wedding for the past few months, and was rather excited. Meanwhile, he had been beefing up his security for the village, and had been going over possible ways of attacking the sound village. Hinata had been doing her part, teaching classes, developing new techniques, and making a variety of ointments, pills, and elixirs. In a few more weeks, every ninja could have a small supply for missions, and the hospital would be well stocked.

She was also developing and blending new poisons from the samples that she was taking from her collection. Some were to be used for kidnapping, while others were the perfect weapons for assassinations. More than a few feudal lords had been quietly removed by his skilled ANBU. She had become a shadowy figure to the enemy, known as the silent angel, and this sort of worried him. If she was well known, then that also meant that she was a target.

However, as long as she was in Suna, she was well guarded, and she was a fiesta little thing, as she had proven to Temari and Kankuro. If she could take out two jonin at the same time, then he shouldn't worry too much. Besides, he didn't want to upset the rhythm that they had fallen into. At the office he signed papers all day, and at home he looked at whatever aspect of the wedding that she had involved herself in that particular day, and hoped to snag a hot, steamy make out session in the process. Hey, even if he didn't act like it, he was a hormonal male full of testosterone, and sometimes he needed to take the edge off.

Today's wedding topic was the flowers, and she had more ore less picked them all out. She wanted white lilies and red roses for her bouquet, since they had become her favorites ever since he had gotten them for her at the hospital. He had filed that useful tidbit of information away in the event that he ever landed in hot water with her. Flowers always smoothed things over nicely, and could lead to something even more fun, like, well, making out. And after they got married, something even more delightful. Ahem, mind out of the gutter, Gaara, or Shukaku might find out.

_**I heard that kid, are you planning on seducing her, or letting her seduce you? Mm, perhaps a strip tease for you? Or maybe lingerie, like one of those silk night gowns, not the corset, you can't feel her boobs through those, and they don't jiggle.**_

_Oh shut up, you pervert. Although, you are right about the corset thing, what's the point of lingerie if you can't feel anything? I need to figure out how to sneak it in for the honeymoon too, without anyone blabbing._

_**Hello! We have catalogs now! And neat, discreet packages! Go get one and start flipping through it! Hop to!**_

___Yeah, but where-hey! I know! I can steal one of my brother's! _

_**The pages will be stuck together, and it may be outdated and smudged from him jacking off on it.**_

_Well, yeah, but all I need is a number, and they can start sending me catalogs, but I'll need to get a mailbox at the post office so no one finds them and starts a scandal, or blabs to Hinata, I want it to be a surprise._

_**Heh, use mine, people expect it from me. You can also use my name for the deliveries. **_

___Thanks! Yay, now I can plot in peace, and fantasize. Maybe a little bit of bondage…_

_**You know, if I said anything like that five or six months ago, you would've kicked my ass, or at least threatened me. **_

___Yeah, but we weren't engaged back then, so shut up._

_**At least now I know you're not gay, now I can rest assured of getting a lot of baby Gaaras and Hinatas running around.**_

___Yeah, and you get to change all of the diapers._

_**COME AGAIN?!**_

Gaara chuckled, and tried to think about the task at hand, which was focussing on her flowers. She wanted the bridesmaids to have white roses and red lilies, the matron of honor to have red and white lilies with tiny roses, and all roses for the maid of honor. Corsages were to be made of roses too, and all of the guys in the wedding party were wearing boutonnieres, no exceptions, not even Gaara.

"But I don't want to wear a flower!"

_Too bad! You have to!_

"Can't you carry the flowers for the both of us? I'll even carry you home!"

_No! You have to wear a flower to! Or you'll get no kisses from me!_

Ouch, now that was harsh. He sighed in defeat. That was so not fair, wait, she didn't mean it. She couldn't resist him.

"I don't think you mean that threat," he said with a sexy smile. She turned her nose up in the air, and spun in her chair so that her back was facing him.

"Oh, come on, you know you can't resist," he purred as he caressed her shoulders, and nipped at her neck. She shivered delicately, but made no move to welcome his advances. He decided to up the ante.

"I think you're just trying to tease me, love." He nudged her into his lap, and turned her so that she faced him. She glared at him angrily. He was such a cheater!

"Oho! Kitty has claws! I like that," he chuckled as he nibbled his way down her neck, delighting in her shudders and shivers. She scribbled something desperately.

_I won't cook for you anymore, and I'll give Shukaku ammo for your arguments!_

He groaned in dismay. Well, if she was that adamant about him wearing a damn flower, then he supposed he could.

"Oh, all right, but it has to be red, got it?" he crossed his arms peevishly. She smiled happily, and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

_A red rose was what I wanted anyway. _Gaara, however, wasn't done.

"If I do this for you, then you have to do something for me on the honeymoon, no ifs, ands, or buts about it." She nodded contentedly. He smiled triumphantly. Now then, about those catalogs…

Deidara was planning too. He was in charge of the fireworks, which were his little surprise. He planned on making five thousand white doves and having them fly off into the night sky, to explode in a cascade of sparks with a message for the newlyweds. He had two thousand left to go. He was also making other birds for the display, and those were taking forever. But it was so gonna be worth it.

Itachi was stuck with the invitations, and he decided to recruit some help. Of course, the invitations had yet to be made, but still. Even Tsunade was going to come, because he had her invitation sent through Jirocho of the land of tea. Of course, she was going to come early to talk terms with Gaara, and to get her head bitten off by Shizune. He was able to rope in Naruto and Lee to help deliver the invitaions, while Hinata, Asa, Chiko, Kameko and Eviko made them. Gaara was still bemoaning the loss of his secretaries.

Kisame was up to mischief. He, Kakashi, and Jiraiya were planning a bachelor party. Kisame was hiring all sorts of ladies to entertain. Little did he know that Tenten and Temari were plotting a bachelorette party, and a bridal shower with Shizune. It was going to be a blast. They were having some guys jumping out of the cake and everything.

Orochimaru was in charge of the interior decorating, once Hinata had picked out what she wanted. He was clapping his hands in glee. He was also planning on sneaking into the girls' party to see Kimimaro covered in cake. The dancer had better not shower if he knew what was best for him. Orochimaru licked his lips.

Sasori was going to DJ the wedding party, and he still got a kick of how the couple's first song was going to be by Korn. (I don't own Korn.) Other heavy metal rock bands were going to be heard too.

Gaara was helping Hinata out with the menu. He was trying to persuade her to have the chefs bring out a sample of each dish to their table so they could get a taste of everything. She was worried that they weren't going to have enough room for all of the plates. There were five separate appetizers, six entrees, and five desserts, excluding the cake. She finally relented, on the condition that he had to let her feed him the first bite of each dish. He agreed, but he got to feed her the first bite too. She clapped her hands in glee. He laughed; she was just so cute!

Hinata was at a dress shop the next day. Since she was getting married, she needed a dress, and her friends were insisting that she keep it. She also needed a kimono for the morning ceremony. Both were going to be white, but they were also going to be embroidered. The girls were also in need of dresses. As they picked out their fabrics and bounced ideas back and forth, they had no idea that Gaara wasn't exactly at work like he was supposed to be.

Instead, he was getting the wedding band that would go over Hinata's engagement ring. It was to be custom made, and he was pleased with the results so far. The metal band was still taking shape, but the stones were in, and he was very impressed with them. He hoped she liked it. The band would be ready in two days or so, then all he had to worry about was hiding it from his sneaky little dove, it was supposed to be a surprise after all.

He was also looking over a few catalogs. He liked the violet silk robe, and the navy baby doll dress. He was also in love with the wine colored sheer mesh short dress, but that long black silk one was not to be denied either…it was just so hard to choose! Then there was that short red dress too…oh what the hell. Live for the moment. It wasn't like he was hurting for money, even with the wedding and the rings. To save himself from making a decision, he would just get them all. Yeah, and she could wear a different one each night.

Gaara grinned. He couldn't wait for the wedding.

Shukaku, meanwhile, was making plans of his own. He was getting them a gift basket for a wedding present. A very special gift basket that had to be pre-ordered from the special shop that he went to whenever he could. He would be very disappointed in Gaara if he didn't find a use for each thing in it too. He smirked. He couldn't wait for the wedding.

Yeah, I know, kind of short. I hope you like it, though. Read and review, and I'll see you next chapter!


	32. Chapter 32

Well, this is it, everyone, the last chapter of Silent Angel

Well, this is it, everyone, the last chapter of Silent Angel. I hope everyone enjoyed my first story, and I hope you will all read Angel Song, the sequel, when I start it. Your support has meant a lot to me, and I thank everyone for all of your advice, praise, and support throughout the story. Except for IceBishop, you can just go whine in your little crib, suck your thumb and beg for a bottle because you didn't like my super Gaara. Everyone else though, you're awesomeness compels me to write an extra-long chapter as the grand finale to the story. I hope you all like it. Now then, Onwards!

Chapter Thirty-two

Wow, a bachelorette party. Temari had to ask for help from the girls while Tenten was out making arrangements from Kimimaro and Sai. She received it from the quartet, who were thrilled about the party and wanted to grill Hinata about the proposal, again. It was just so romantic, and they couldn't get enough. Asa had scolded her husband for not taking her out dancing when he proposed to her, but he reminded her that, at the time, she had a sprained ankle and was forbidden from dancing. That was why they went to a movie instead, after the nice dinner and proposal. She let it drop, but he had resigned himself to taking her out for their anniversary, and seemed rather glum about it. He couldn't dance, and Gaara had found the whole thing very entertaining.

In any event, the girls were lying in wait for the guest of honor, who still had no clue about the party. Temari wasn't letting on about it either, and was casually walking her home for a "last look at the ceremony plans." How convenient; poor Hinata could be so gullible, and it was so adorable.

Tenten had to clamp her hand over Kameko's mouth, because she couldn't stop giggling. She had dyed her hair black this time, and was still toying with the idea of putting silver highlights in.

They had spent quite some time putting up streamers and getting stuff ready. They hoped that they could teach Hinata some special skills (cough, Chiko, cough)

Eviko had her part of the party clutched right in front of her. It was a few mixed drinks. Of course, since Hinata wasn't quite old enough to drink, they had to get rid of the alcohol, but still, who didn't like daiquiris? Or pina coladas? No one, and you could top those off with a few tasty margaritas, and you had a party. Of course, Margaritas in Suna were a bit different. They used a very, very sour cactus juice instead of tequila, and some said that although it didn't make you tipsy, it went down with more fire than the harshest sake. It was commonly used in drinking games. They couldn't wait to see Hinata's face when she drank something this sour. Gaara was a pro at it, and had one many dares in this sort of contest. Kankuro no longer played with him because he always ended up streaking in front of some elder's house, or in some elder's house.

Temari had dropped off her brother's boom box earlier, and Asa had wheeled in a giant cake that looked innocent enough…but still, why so big for the few people that were here? Shizune had hair stuff ready to be used, and Kameko had a suspicious package in her lap. Tenten had a bunch of CDs and was getting twitchy, she wanted to boogie! Kameko snorted again, causing the girls to clamp down harder on her mouth. The door opened, and in stepped Hinata, while Temari flicked on the lights.

"SURPRISE!" everyone bolted up from their positions, and scared the living daylights out of poor Hinata. Temari cackled like a maniac.

"It worked! You so fell for it! Ha ha!" Hinata aimed a swat at her, but missed. Chiko and Kameko began to get to work on the drinks.

"Hey, this is your last free night as a bachelorette, so we gotta make it memorable. You're gonna be too busy tomorrow! Fruity fun drinks it is! And the evil cactus juice of doom!" Kameko began to giggle. Hinata smiled tears of joy in her eyes. It was wonderful to have such good friends. She jumped them and gave them all hugs. Kameko gave her the wrapped box (It was rather suspicious, with its too neat wrapping, blue with red ribbon.) and sat back to enjoy the show. Temari got the camera ready. Hinata opened the box, but encountered red tissue paper. Sifting through it, she promptly became puzzled. A bit of black fabric was in the box. She cautiously lifted it out by one corner, and the folds became undone, revealing them to be a pair of black bikini briefs. She blushed red at the sight of her fiancé's underwear. Kameko and the girls laughed like crazy.

"Now you can have sweet dreams about what awaits you on your wedding night!" Kameko crowed. Asa pressed a pina colada in her hand. Hinata looked at Kameko in a scandalized manner, and then broke out in a shy smile. It was true; they were going all the way then. She was sort of nervous about it.

"You know, since you are going to be married and an ex-virgin, you need to learn how to dance like a woman." Chiko smirked, and promptly began to teach her how to do a strip-tease, well; she tried to, at least. Hinata was blushing furiously, and was having difficulty with her clothing, but she was trying. The shirt just didn't want to come off, and her hips refused to move like they were supposed too. However, Chiko did show her how, and gave her some good advice. She also stressed the importance of a junk-free floor. Nothing ruined a sexy dance like tripping over stuff and falling on ones butt.

Somehow, and nobody was quite sure how, they all ended up going to the salon to get manicures and pedicures. Hinata didn't get a set of nails since hers were already a decent length, so she just got them painted. Eventually they came back home, and Eviko nearly choked.

"Oh my goodness! We forgot your cake!' they wheeled the cake in front of her, and Temari stuck a CD in the boom box that she stole from Kankuro. Hinata leaned in to get a better look at the cake, and jumped back as a scantily clad Kimimaro and Sai jumped out of the cake. Sai winked at her, and she turned scarlet. She had never seen so much skin before.

"Man, we were getting worried about being stuck in that cake. How could you forget us?" Sai groaned as he began to dance. He had nothing but black leather pants and a few chains draped around his chest on. The chains formed an "X" on his chest. He jingled a bit when he moved. Kimimaro was wearing a red Speedo with a dog leash and a spiked dog collar. He knelt down to Hinata.

"Go ahead. Make me your bitch." She promptly fainted, causing everyone to laugh.

Shukaku, meanwhile, was up to no good, as usual. He, Kisame, and Kankuro were carefully and secretly escorting the entertainment into a rented room at a bar.

"Man! This is robbery! If that psychotic bitch hadn't taken my boom box, we wouldn't have to buy a new one!"

"I know! And we can't take Gaara's surround sound music system, because he would've noticed!"

"You said it, Shukaku. Luckily, Itachi snuck a bunch of his CDs in, so we don't have to worry about that. Hey, what's in that box anyways?"

"Just a little something to remind him to keep his eyes on the prize, Kisame."

_Shukaku was in Gaara's room, rooting through Hinata's dresser, looking for a special drawer. Someone cleared their throat, and he whirled around to see Kameko._

_"Same thing I'm doing, eh? Where does Gaara keep his underwear?"_

_"Top drawer on the left. Hinata?"_

_"Top drawer on the right. Ah, I won't tell if you won't."_

_"Deal." They shook hands, and darted off with their respected pilfered goods._

Deidara was setting up the lights when they walked in.

"You know, un, it's gonna be interesting to see strippers dance to Korn and Disturbed."

"Yeah? Well, these ladies are the best, so I'm sure they will be spectacular. Orochimaru! Go help Sasori with the booze, will ya?"

"Yeah, just hold onto my present for a sec, okay Shukaku?"

"Yeah, where's Itachi?"

"He's delivering a special phone call to Gaara telling of how the ambassadors of two different nations have started a bar fight. He's the only one who can pull it off."

"Ooh, nice one!" They all shared an evil laugh together.

Meanwhile, Gaara was making some last minute arrangements before he left for the day. He was planning on taking Hinata out for a nice, relaxing dinner. Then the phone rang.

"This better be important, or I will chop you up and fry you in oil."

"Sorry, Gaara sama, I'm outside of the bar, and it's getting nasty. These two ambassadors from grass and rain have started a brawl, and it just keeps getting worse. You need to get down here before the elders find out."

"I'm teleporting there now!" he disappeared in a whirl of sand.

"Holy shit! He's teleporting?! Hurry up guys! Ladies, hide and get ready to jump out! Hide the booze! Get ready to cuff him to the chair!"

"Calm down, Shukaku, I'm sure everything will be fine."

Gaara walked in to the bar. It was noisy, but there was no fighting. Then it hit him.

"Oh, fuck me." This earned a few stares. Orochimaru and Itachi had to call for back up just to get him down the stairs, and he left nail marks in the wall and banister as Kisame, Sasori, Shukaku, Itachi, Orochimaru and the bartender had to drag him down the stairs, cursing and swearing the whole way.

"You fuckers! I have a date with Hinata tonight! What the fuck is your problem?! Hey! You're pulling my pants down, you dumbasses! Give me back my shoe, you asshole! When I get loose I'm gonna shove my foot so far up your asses that you'll be licking my toes! Let me go, you shit stuffed turkeys!"

"Shut the fuck up and enjoy your party, you brat!" Shukaku yelled at him.

"Yeah! And don't worry, Temari set up a party for Guppy, so she won't be lonely!"

"Fuck you all up the ass!"

"Give it to me baby!" Orochimaru crowed, earning a brief respite from Gaara's onslaught.

"I'm sure you'd like that, you shit thief!"

"Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to fuck me up the ass; I'm just the willing recipient."

Gaara kicked and writhed and cussed the whole way to the chair, where he was shoved in and handcuffed to the chair. He broke the handcuffs, and threatened to escape when the bartender shoved a beer in his hand.

"I'm underage."

"I don't care, you're gonna need it. Besides, you're the leader of our country. What happens in this room stays in this room." The bartender collected his money and returned upstairs. Gaara slumped in his seat.

"I hate you all."

"Oh, shut up and open your presents."

"I get presents?"

"Yeah! Mine first!" Shukaku shoved a box wrapped in red paper with a black bow on it. Gaara unwrapped it and pulled out a pair of wine colored bikini panties. They were Hinata's. He glared at Shukaku.

"You pervert, why did you go snooping through her drawers?"

"Just thought that you might need a reminder of what's waiting for you in a couple of nights."

"Oh shit! You need to send someone to the house! The package-"

"I'll go!" Shukaku darted off to retrieve the package that must not be seen by Hinata. He ran up to the house just as Hinata took the box in her hands. He swiftly snatched from her.

"Sorry, sweetie, this is a very special wedding present that you can't have until you're married. Here, take this candy bar. I'll see you later!" he gave her a chocolate bar and a hug, and swiftly dashed back to the party.

"Did you get it?"

"Just as she picked up the box. She thinks it's a special wedding present, so don't worry."

"That's a relief. What's next?"

"Mine! Open open open open!"

"Okay, Orochimaru, I'll open it." He unwrapped the blue paper to reveal a book and DVD set. It was the Kama Sutra. He gave the snake an odd look.

"You should really check out page forty-seven." He felt a little weird, but checked anyway. Damn, that was new.

"Hey, I got a question. What's better, on top, or on bottom?"

"Well, Kisame, I think it's on top. That way if the girl gets really feisty, she'll scratch your back instead of your chest. Nipple scratching is no fun." Sasori stated in a matter of fact sort of tone.

"Oh, come on! What are the chances of your nipples being scratched? Besides, the view is spectacular enough to warrant the extra risk." Shukaku chipped in his two cents, as usual.

"Yeah, says the guy who has never had his nipples scratched. You would be agreeing with me if you had. Those scratches hurt." Itachi stated in a sarcastic manner.

"Yeah, and the salt from your sweat makes them hurt even more, right, Kisame?"

"You got a point there, Sasori."

"Oh come on! When the girl's on top her boobs are right in your face! Who can say no to boobs?!"

"Yeah, Kankuro's got an equally good point, boobs are the bomb! Although, sometimes it's more fun just to ravish the girl. And if she's drunk you definitely don't want to be on the bottom. Pukage, man, not cool," Kisame exclaimed.

"Gentlemen, there is a simple way to settle this; ask the ladies. After all, they are our dance partners, un."

In the end, it came out as a draw, partly due to some confusion between the ladies about the fact just who was on top. Of course, Gaara already knew what position was the best. He was going to be on top, partly because he had control issues, and partly because he didn't want to put any pressure on Hinata. Mm, and he liked the idea of her leaving scratches down his back. He rubbed the silky panties between his thumb and fingers, a wicked smirk plastered to his face. He couldn't wait to see her in the black number in the box. He ignored the strippers, focusing instead on the image of his blushing bride in black lace and silk, one spaghetti strap having slipped from her shoulder, and the vague outline caused by her silky string bikini style panties, matching, of course. The wedding night seemed way too far away.

That night Hinata opened the door to the master bedroom, and came across a very disturbing and embarrassing sight. Gaara was sitting on the bed, idly spinning her panties around his index finger. He grinned at her in a devilish sort of way.

"I heard that you got a special sort of present." She went red, knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"Wanna trade?" She blushed even more, and forked over his briefs. She closed her eyes in embarrassment, and held out her hand for hers. His smirk widened, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I'm not sure I want to trade after all, these would make a lovely addition to my office décor." She looked scandalized, and promptly aimed a swat at him, only to have her hand caught in his grip. He pulled her to him, and tilted her head up.

"However, I might be persuaded otherwise, but it'll cost you," he murmured as his lips connected with hers. The price wasn't so hard to pay after all, even if he totally didn't deserve it at the moment. He was such a kiss thief!

The next morning everyone needed to do a last minute fitting of their tuxes and gowns. They also needed to finish up all of the decorations. Fortunately, they had help when it came to heavy lifting. A special escort had returned from the land of tea, with Kurenai, and Asuma in the lead. Lee, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, Kiba and Shino were flanking the escort. Kakashi and Guy were in the rear. Jirocho and Tsunade were in the center. Shizune promptly ran out and began to chew out Tsunade, who kept trying to make an apology to Gaara, mostly when Shizune paused to breath. Gaara understood, more or less, and allowed them to enter the village.

Hinata was being fitted for her gown, a beautiful pure white one with a design embroidered in rhinestones, glass seed beads and silk thread. The stones were silver, while the beads and some of the thread were lavender. The veil was a shimmering white fabric that was embellished around the edges with silver and lavender seed beads and thread. It fit her like a dream.

Gaara had already been fitted for his kimono yesterday, for the first ceremony, and he only needed to be sure that his tux fitted him just right, because he wanted everything to be perfect for her. Even if that meant that he had to wear a damn flower and his shiny shoes. At least he didn't have to wear a hat. His scalp prickled uncomfortably at the mere thought, and he scratched it to relieve the itch.

Yesterday he had found that he had been missing a pair of his underwear when he had tried the kimono on in his chambers. His drawer had been left slightly out, only an eighth of an inch, really, but it had been enough to catch his eye, and a subsequent inspection revealed a single black hair that smelled of his secretary. At the time he had rolled his eyes and figured that she was playing a prank on him or something, and had fully expected to find them hot-glued to his office door. Of course, when he had unwrapped Hinata's panties at his party, things had begun to fall into place. He smiled at the memory of her blush when he displayed his little present to her. He could actually picture her in those little bits of heaven in the box carefully hidden under their bed.

He glared at the clock. Crap, he had to go to the tailors and seamstresses' shop and make sure that his tux fit. He wondered how Hinata looked in her kimono and gown. He had been forbidden from peaking, and they had even gone so far as to hide the garments from him, on orders form the rest of his treacherous clan, and from Hinata especially. Oh well, he got his revenge by not allowing her to see him in his kimono and tux either, so there.

When he was fitted the tailor had him stand in front of a full length mirror. He thought that he was a rather handsome figure. The tailor made a few minor adjustments to the sleeves, and had him walk around and stretch a bit to make sure that the tux was stitched properly. Gaara obeyed, and the garment passed inspection. It was bagged up and delivered to his office, along with the kimono. Gaara gave the tailor a generous tip for his troubles.

Hinata and the girls were at the flower shop to help make the fresh cut arrangements, which were to be placed in the cooler. (a cooler in a flower shop is basically like a giant fridge. They are usually divided up into two sections; the part that is accessible to the customer, and the walk-in part in the back for storing flowers. To make things simple, just think of it as a walk-in refrigerator.) The arrangements for the reception all had glass candle holders or metal candle holders for tapered candles. Hinata was practically bouncing up and down with glee. Once Gaara was done with his fitting at the tailor's, he was going to get the oh so noble and important job of carting the heavy buckets of flowers and stuff around. Oh, and writing the check. He had grumbled a bit about working in close proximity with posies, but Hinata had silenced his complaints with a peck on the lips. It was amazing what a cute girl could do.

Kameko and Chiko were putting the finishing touches on the bows that were to be attached to the ends of the benches in the shady part of the oasis, where the wedding was to take place. Kisame and Itachi were setting up the benches, while Sasori and Deidara set up the tables and chairs at the tower, in the grand dining hall. The floor had been carefully polished to a mirror-like shine. Orochimaru came in and placed the table cloths on them, while Kimimaro carefully labeled them with the elegantly scripted cards. The regular tables were covered in white, whereas the wedding party was done in a black tablecloth that shimmered. The brilliant white and red flowers, plus the candles would stand out beautifully. Eviko came in, and enlisted Kisame in helping her attach the silk garlands. (Silk is another term for fake flowers) The drapes were carefully scrutinized for lint and dust.

Hinata and the family were busily getting the food made along with the servants and staff. The cake was going to be massive, with a delicate icing, and the food was to be a variety of different cultures, and ranged from simple to complex. Most of the stuff would have to made tomorrow, however, to make sure that it was fresh.

After the day's hard work, it was universally decided that takeout was the way to go for the night's meal. Hinata helped herself to some pizza and breadsticks, and then leaned back against Gaara, who promptly stole one of her breadsticks. She made a grab for it, but he held it teasingly out of her reach, making her swat his arm. He laughed and promptly took a big bite out of it. She rolled her eyes and dug into her meal. Her fiancée could be such a mischief maker!

The morning came bright and early, and, according to tradition, Hinata was secreted away. Gaara could not see his bride until the first ceremony, and then she would be ushered away to wait until the second ceremony began. It was only then that they could be in the same room. Of course, after the ceremonies were done, they could socialize like normal.

Gaara sighed and jumped in the shower, relishing the feeling of the hot water across his skin. He washed swiftly, taking care of all of his grooming needs, and making sure that everything was in order before he donned his black kimono. A red sash was tied around his waist, with the symbols of his station and of the sand village embroidered in gold thread on it. He slipped his two swords in the sash as well. They were exquisitely crafted, but were also functional, and he knew how to use them expertly. He had disemboweled an assassin with the short one, and decapitated another with the long. The sheaths were black leather embossed with gold symbols. The hilts were wrapped in black leather to aid in the grip, and that was it. He did not allow tassels to adorn his swords the way other nobles did, mostly because they merely got in the way.

He made his way through the streets of the village, and many of the people bowed to him as he passed, while others waved to him. He smiled slightly, and sent a child back to her mother with a pat on her head after she had given him a cactus bloom. Soon after he was mobbed by children as they each sought to give him a variety of cactus blossoms. He chuckled throatily, and eventually made a little floating dish out of sand to hold them. The people laughed as he playfully teased the children, and he finally made them a little merry-go-round out of sand, along with a slide and a jungle gym. They squeaked in delight and ran off to play. He entered the tower, and he suddenly had to be formal. The first ceremony was always formal.

He walked down the center of the gathered lords and ladies, and they sat when he sat. Chiyo and Sarutobi both bowed to him, and lit the oil diffusers. (A candle holder that usually holds tea-lights or votive candles, with a glass bowl held a few inches above the flame. It is filled with water, and a few drops of essential or fragrance oil is added. Essential oil comes directly from plants, and fragrance oil is made from chemicals. Essential oil it the healthier way to go. Moving on.) The scent of sandalwood, rose, and patchouli filled the air. Those oils, among others, were considered aphrodisiacs. They were meant to cause the couple to begin to, well, bond. That was the official term anyway, because as far as Gaara was concerned they were actually meant to torture the newlyweds. After all, he wouldn't be able to see her for hours after the ceremony was though, so if was, ahem, intrigued, he was stuck in his own private hell until that night, and it was just past dawn now. So unfair, and that little minx would probably tease him throughout the reception too.

The door opened, and Shizune escorted Hinata in. Gaara's eyes widened. She was beautiful. She had a white silk kimono on, which was embroidered with lavender flowers daintily on its surface. The largest ones were lilies, and her luxurious mane was swept up and off of her neck, with a white lily set in her ear. Her lips were done in a dainty, delicate pink, and her eyes had pale lavender eye-shadow and some grays to enhance their luminous beauty. She blushed, and was guided to a sitting position in front of him. He smiled at her gently.

"You are a true beauty, Hinata," he murmured softly. She blushed again, and smiled shyly at him. Chiyo began to speak.

"We have gathered here on this morning to witness a spectacular event. The lord of the desert nation has come to claim his bride, who, in turn, has come to claim his heart. Together, this noble man and noble lady will guide us into a glorious future, just as they will guide each other on their own path. Lord Gaara has protected us against those who would harm us, and has rescued our people from the grip of two tyrants, the former feudal lord and the former Kazekage. Even now, as war threatens once again, he shields us all from the enemies of our great country. He took this maiden in and healed her many hurts.

"Lady Hinata fled to our village towards the end of the war between the Leaf and Sand, and began to train as a medical ninja as soon as she was able. She was instrumental to the final victory at Tanzaku Castle, and turned our former enemies into our allies. She has healed our people, and our ruler. It is only fitting that these two should wed.

"Let them drink now, of the nectar of bonding, so that their hearts will become as one and that they will be as one." A goblet of white tea was presented first to Hinata, who took a dainty sip, then to Gaara, who sipped from the same place that Hinata had. She smiled at him, her happiness making her face light up. He returned her smile. Chiyo then gave them each a small bowl of scented oil. Hinata had sandalwood and patchouli, whereas Gaara had rose and myrrh. First Gaara dipped two fingers in, and then he brushed the oil gently across her forehead. Hinata repeated the gesture to him. She gave a silent giggle as a droplet slowly ran down his forehead, because there wasn't a thing he could do about it until the ceremony was complete. He jerked his chin to her slightly, drawing her attention to her own stray droplet.

"By anointing each other with the sacred oils, they have joined their souls. May they never be split asunder," Chiyo said with great solemnity, ending the ceremony. Gaara sighed wistfully as she left the room with Shizune and Hinata. His bride looked back once to smile at him again, her eyes full of love. He returned her smile, his eyes gentle. He couldn't wait for the second ceremony.

Hinata was surrounded by the enemy, and they wielded their cruel weapons with expert precision. Weapons like eye-shadow, lipstick, hair pins, pearls, and other evil things. She hunched down miserably in her seat, only to be scolded by Chiko.

"Hey! Get your butt back up here! You're gonna make your hair uneven! Oh, such a face! You poor thing, you're not used to being all dolled up!" Hinata's face was so forlorn, and it tugged at the girls' heartstrings. She never was comfortable with the idea of putting on so much makeup.

"Poor thing, she's miserable. Don't worry, we're almost done!" Temari laughed lightly as she went to get the dress and shoes. Hinata obediently held still as they arranged her veil and dress just so. The girls were very pleased with their work, and they each gave each other a high five.

The ceremony had begun, or, rather, was getting ready to. The guests were filing in, and there were so many that they hat run out of benches. Chiyo, with Sarutobi beside her, was walking down the aisle, and lit the golden candles at the alter. They then took their places at the head of the alter. The honorable guard took their places. Kakashi, Lee and Kimimaro were on the left side, while Naruto, Shikamaru and Guy were on the right. They were all dressed in black suites.

The matron of honor, Shizune, was escorted by Shukaku, the best man. Shizune had a red gown with black and gold beads embroidered in the bust in an elegant pattern. Shukaku was looking rather dashing in his black tux, despite grumbling under his breath that the white rose made look him gay, and that the shiny shoes only supported that assumption. Shizune pinched him, and he shot her a dirty look, which changed to one of mischief as he pinched her butt.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen followed, with the girls dressed in elegant red gowns. Tenten was escorted by Deidara, Kameko by Itachi, Chiko by Orochimaru, Eviko by Kisame, and Asa by her husband. The maid of honor, Temari, was escorted by Kankuro, the ring bearer. Temari's red dress had white and gold embroidered beads. The groom followed, and the audience all stood up to honor him. His steps were swift and sure, and he threw a glare at Shukaku for making faces at him.

Sasori and Hinata, who had remained hidden from Gaara until he had walked down the aisle, began to slowly stride to him. Sasori was proudly acting the part of the father of the bride. Hinata looked breathtakingly beautiful in her gown, with the veil delicately covering her face. The embroidery brought out her eyes, and her hair, although pulled away from her face and secured by pins and combs that sparkled with jewels and pearls, fell down her back in a mass of very slight curls. She was blushing lightly, and Gaara temporarily forgot about the ceremony when he caught sight of her. She stopped beside him, and turned to face him. He took her hand in his, and smiled at her.

Sarutobi began to speak.

"We are gathered here today to honor the union of Lord Sabako no Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakur and Hinata, formerly of the Hyuuga clan of Konohagakur. Does anyone object to their union?" he looked swiftly at the guests, but no one responded.

"Good, because I'd have beaten the person who did with a stick." Everyone laughed, and even Gaara let a brief quirk of his lips slip by. He could see the old bat chasing the hapless victim down the street. He reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently. She smiled happily at him.

"These two souls were united through conflict and remained through peace, short though the time had been. Both have kept this nation standing strong in the face of adversity, and both have overcome great odds and trials in their short lives, and have seen thing that no one should ever see. Their actions and experience has shown me that, without a shadow of a doubt, that the future is best left in their hands. By binding these two souls together, we can rest assured that they will guide us out of these troubling times and into a bright and secure future.

"Lord Gaara sama, do you take Lady Hinata sama to be your wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do. There is no other for me." he was facing her now, with both of their hands entwined. She was tearing up slightly, her eyes glowing with joy, reflecting his warm expression.

"And do you, Lady Hinata sama, do you take Lord Gaara sama to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"

They had expected her to nod, after all that was basically all she had really ever done without her notepad. But of course, Hinata surprised them all, as was her way from the very beginning. Gaara started at a soft sound that was like a coo from a dove.

"Gaara sama, I couldn't bear it to be anyone else. You were the one who saved me and made me better. You were the one who showed me that life could have good things and happy things in it too. You were the one who showed me what family really was." Gaara stared at her in shock. She was talking. She was talking. She was talking! Holy crap she was talking! To him! Holy crap she was talking to him! She looked at him, blushed, and looked back down.

"S-so I guess what I'm trying to say is, w-well," she looked back up at him. "I love you, and I do." Gaara swept her up in his arms and kissed her. Shukaku whistled and the girls gave a collective sound of approval. The guys all encouraged them to turn up the heat.

"Hey! You little snots, you aren't supposed to kiss yet! We aren't done yet! We have rings to distribute, and I have to give you permission to kiss, damn it!" Sarutobi was trying to get the ceremony back on track, but it wasn't working out. Finally, Gaara pulled away from her lips, gazing into her eyes. She was so beautiful, and so his. He went in for another kiss, but the old man reacted fast enough to stop him this time. He scowled at the Sarutobi balefully. He rolled his eyes.

"Can we please get back on track here? You need the rings!" Gaara turned to Shukaku.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what,' I need the ring!"

"What ring?"

"If you lost it Shukaku, so help me, I will-"

"Simmer down, kid, I got it right here! Heheh, I so got you just now!"

"Shut up and give me the damn ring!" Shukaku laughed and gave him the ring, while Temari handed Hinata hers.

"With this ring, Hinata, I take you as my wife, my love." She blushed and cried a little when he slipped in on. It was a golden band that fit around her engagement ring, with black diamonds flanking the sides, and white diamond accents. On the inside was an inscription: all my love.

Hinata reached up and straightened his red rose boutonnière. She distinctly heard him mutter something about the damn flower under his breath. She took his hand and slipped his ring over his finger.

"With this ring, Gaara, I take you as my husband, heroic knight." He chuckled gently.

"B-but you'd better not be like Lancelot, and you can keep Shukaku!" that made him laugh and Shukaku squawk in protest. His ring was a masculine gold band with a garnet and an inscription reading "keeper of my heart."

"Now you may kiss the bride." The kiss resumed with earnest, and it earned a standing ovation. Gaara then scooped his bride up and carried her to the carriage that would take them to the reception.

Gaara and Hinata were sitting at the table feeding each other their meals. He was deeply touched that Hinata had trusted him enough to speak to him. It wouldn't come easily to her, he knew, and at times she would revert back to her old ways, but she had successfully broken the barrier that prevented her from speaking. He scooped up a wonton from the soup and popped hi in her mouth, and she returned the favor. It was going to take a long time to eat, though, mostly because Shukaku kept tapping his glass with his fork to make them kiss. At length, Gaara took away his fork, but Shukaku then switched to his chopsticks, then his spoon, and then his knife. Eventually he began stealing them from other people to continue his mission. The happy couple finally resigned themselves to kissing every other minute or so.

After their meal, Gaara and Hinata danced together, and still were forced to kiss every other minute. Hinata giggled and then gave him a swat on his arm for pinching her butt. He gave her a kiss on her cheek, and all was forgiven. She rested her head on his chest, and he held her close. Eventually the dance ended and they returned to the table. Shukaku stood up.

"All right, everybody, listen up! For those of you who don't know who I am, let me introduce myself! My name is Shukaku, that's right; I'm the evil diabolical horny demon that is sealed within that lucky little turd who got married today." Gaara turned to him abruptly.

"Get on with it, you old buzzard! And I am not excrement!"

"What the hell is excre- never mind. My point is, that, well, I've been watching these two lovebirds for quite a while, and I must say, they suite each other quite well. Now then, I want grandchildren, and I want them soon, so give it to her good, boy!"

Hinata went red and Gaara used his sand to seep the chair out from underneath him, causing him to crash to the floor, much to the delight of the audience. By a unanimous vote, it was time for the newlyweds to cut the cake. Gaara grasped the knife, and Hinata laid her hand gently on top. They took a sliver from the chocolate section, and Hinata paused to warn him.

"Y-you'd better be good, or th-there'll be no action for you!"

"Oh, angel, you wound me! how can you even make such a threat, and on our wedding night too?!" he grasped his heart and half-collapsed on the floor. She giggled and he stood back up. she fed him a small piece of the cake, and he returned the favor, only he tapped her nose and left a smudge of icing on it. She squirmed and tried to look stern, but her giggles gave her away.

The music started back up again, and the DJ decided that it was time to do the Cha Cha. The girls all swarmed to the floor, as did Deidara, Guy, and Lee. Deidara made exaggerated movements as he danced, which were picked up by the other dancers. Hinata tugged Gaara out onto the dance floor and made him dance with her. He decided that he would rather play with his sand, and consequently many people found themselves sporting extra body parts, both human and animal. Naruto was given a great big bushy fox tail, which swished in an interesting way when he shook his butt.

Gaara spied Temari, Tenten and Hinata huddled suspiciously in a corner. It appeared that they were trying to get the blushing bride to do something. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as they broke apart and headed in separate directions. Hinata tugged him to the dance floor again. she began to dance rather suggestively to him, by brushing her body against his and giving him that mischievous smile. It was rather arousing, and he decided that two could play at that game. He began to bump against her, and spun her around so that her back was against his front. He then began to bump and lightly grind against her in earnest, holding her hips against him. She blushed furiously, and spun around, but he cut off anything she was going to say or do with a kiss. A very passionate kiss. A very long kiss. Shukaku was heard muttering something about coming up for air. They parted at long last, and resumed dancing.

Gaara opened the door with his sand, and the box was fetched from its hiding place and put on the bed. His hands were otherwise occupied by making sure that he didn't drop his blushing bride. She gazed at the box in recognition.

"Lingerie, for later, love." She looked at him in shock.

"Y-you mean th-that-"he nodded, a wicked smirk on his face.

"I wore the flower for you, now you have to do something for me. That was the deal, remember?" She squeaked in protest to his words.

"B-but th-that's n-not-"

"It is so fair, little missy. Don't worry, no corsets, those things are too much trouble. Just little dresses, that's all. Besides, you don't have to worry about them tonight." He nipped at her throat, earning a blush and another squeak. She trembled in his arms.

"I-I'm scared. I've n-never-"

"I know, Dove," he continued to nibble along her throat. "I promise to be gentle, Little One." She gave him the reins, and he shoved the box off of the bed to make room for the both of them. It landed with a loud thud.

"J-just how many d-did you buy?"

"Just a few."

"A f-few what? A few thousand?" he laughed at her and began to tug at the gown, ending the discussion with a kiss. The night promised to be sweet.

A few hours later he was gazing at her sleeping form that was cuddled up to his. He yearned to hear her cries of ecstasy again, but he knew that she needed her sleep. It had been a long night, after all. She smiled sweetly in her sleep.

Dawn began to break before she stirred, and he stroked her hair. She turned to him and opened her eyes sleepily. He smiled at her, and they got up to watch the sunrise together. They knew that the future held bloodshed and war, and that it could take a long time before peace was reached. They knew that the coming trials would not be easy to pass, and that they would need each other more than ever before. For now, though, all was peaceful, and they had each other, and they both knew that it was all that they would ever need. They smiled as one and gazed into the future.

Wow that was a long chapter. I probably could've gotten two or three chapters from this one, because this is just over 15 pages. I wanted to make it extra-special, but I don't know if I did that though. Well, if nothing else I made it extra long! I hope that you guys thought it was worth the wait. I just got back from vacation, and the weeks leading up to it had been so busy that I didn't really have time to type, so I could only update one chapter. I was so sad, because I had really wanted to have this chapter finished before I had left. Oh well, I hope you guys liked it, and I thank you all again for sticking with me throughout the story. The sequel to this will be coming out sometime, but I just don't know quite when yet. I want to get Metamorphosis more firmly off the ground, and I need to pay more attention to Pint Sized and Demon Dance. I do have a lot of chapters for Demon Dance outlined, so I will probably do a couple of those first, but I really need to stop neglecting poor Metamorphosis so much. It can be hard when you don't know what to write about first. Well, I guess I might as well just jump in, huh? Thank you all, and I hope you Stick around for Angel Song!


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